Little Shinigami and Solo
by Black-Haired Girl
Summary: The year is AC188. Duo is an orphan on L2 colony. Here, seven-year old Duo meets the young Wing Gundam pilot Heero Yuy for the first time. They become friends but are soon separated. They will meet again years later during Operation Meteor. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1: Little Shinigami's Escape

by, Black-Haired Girl

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The gentle snores from the other little kids worked great to hide the sound of Duo's flat, hard shoes as he snuck through the darkness towards the window. He glided past rows of bunk beds that held the other oblivious, slumbering orphans. He was always good at sneaking around. It was one of his favorite games. The other kids didn't like to play hide and sneak with him because he always managed to get to the 'safe spot' before the kid who was 'it' could even spot him. Tonight he was using those stealthy skills to sneak out.

He approached the window at the far side of the dark room. It had been nailed shut weeks earlier to prevent such an event as this from occurring again. That didn't stop the long-haired boy. Upon seeing the nails the little imp cracked a huge smile. Then he retrieved a small bag from his back and began digging around within it silently. He found what he was looking for. A pair of pliers he had pilfered from the gardening shed. He wrapped his small hands around the handles and began going to work on the nails. It took quite a bit of effort to do considering there were so many nails and he had to be super quiet in the process. After a five or ten minutes he had freed all of the nails from the wood frame of the window and had left them in a neat little pile on the window sill. He dug his fingers under the small lip at the bottom of the window and began to pull fiercely at it. It was still stuck. He stepped back from the window and began to chew his lower lip nervously.

The faint sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway. Duo crouched low to the ground and held his breath. He could hear Sister Helen's soft, confident steps as she came up to the bedroom door. Light from a flashlight glowed faintly from the doorjamb. Then the sound of keys being fumbled with. Finally a loud click sounded. The door swung open. Duo flattened his body against the cold cement floor. He could see the bottom of Sister Helen's long, black habit rustling around her black leather shoes as she strode inside. The beam from the flashlight tracked from one corner of the room to the other in silent inspection.

It was customary for Sister Helen to do night watch of the children once in a while. What confused Duo most was that the sister had all ready been in their room that night and he couldn't recall the last time she came in more than once in one night. He began to grind his teeth in agitation. His plan was about to be ruined if he couldn't sneak past her!

He watched as she wandered up and down the narrow aisles to check and make sure each child was safe and sound. His body grew tense as she approached his bed. He looked from Sister Helen to the door to the hallway she had left ajar.

_I can sneak out that way!_ The little boy had begun to crawl under the beds towards the door without a moment's hesitation. He shimmied across the floor in silence and pushed his way quietly through the hidden messes and boxes from beneath the other children's beds. His face pressed through a large, sticky cobweb. He bit his lower lip and grimaced as he began to tear it away from his eyes and nose. In his desperate attempt to pull the web from his face he bumped the top of his head against the underside of another little boy's bed frame. The sound caused Sister Helen to turn and point her flashlight towards the bed under which the braided boy was hiding. Duo curled up into a ball and tried to pull a pair of dirty pants he had found under the bed over himself to shield his body from view. The nun had begun walking in the direction of the noise.

_Nonononononono!!_ Duo's mind raced as he began burying himself under the pile of dirty clothes. He peeked through the armhole of a shirt and saw the curtain of black habit hanging right at the side of the bed. One of the leather shoes was tapping impatiently.

"Duo. Come out right this instant!"Helen said sternly. She knelt down beside the bed and directed the light right in Duo's half-hidden face. "Escaping again, huh?" The woman's usual round and friendly face showed a hint of disappointment. The sight made Duo feel guilty. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Then the sister held out a delicate hand for the little boy. Duo hesitated before taking the hand. She pulled him gently from beneath the bed and led him quietly out into the hallway. Once in the hall she looked down at him and began picking cobweb out of his disheveled bangs. She didn't lecture him or scold him. That was never her way. Instead she wiped down his face with her sleeve and smiled down at him.

"I am going to have to tell Father Maxwell about this." She said in her light, airy voice. Duo nodded and frowned down at his feet. "Okay then. Goodnight, Duo…" She said sweetly before turning the little boy around and urging him into the room. "I'll see you tomorrow morning at breakfast, right?"

Duo looked over his shoulder at the nun and nodded with a deep frown. This made the woman laugh. The corner of the little boy's mouth sprang to life into a crooked smile before he padded back into the room. The door closed behind him and locked.

He looked around the dark room at the other orphans. Most were asleep. A few of them peered at him from beneath their blankets, having woken from the noise. Duo scowled at them before wandering over to the window. He stared at the neat pile of thin, black nails on the window sill. He couldn't bring himself to open the window. He couldn't understand his sudden change of heart. It was how children worked. One minute they did something, without knowing why, and then the next they change their minds about the entire thing. So, having decided he didn't want to escape tonight after all, he began to slide the nails back into their little holes around the frame of the window. After a few minutes he had slid the last nail into its shallow hole.

Duo took a step back and placed his hands on his hips as he surveyed his work. Every nail had been replaced. Then he leaned in close to the window and looked out into the dark night. The colony's lights were dim to give the appearance of night on earth, but were still bright enough to see just about anything you needed to. The view from this window was of the cemetery behind the church that the orphanage was attached to. The gravestones were relatively new compared to some Duo had seen in books. They were all upright and uniform in long, perfect rows. They stood as reminders of those who had lived. The oldest one was a little more than 100 years old. There were no bodies beneath the memorials, either. Everyone on the colonies was cremated.

Duo wondered what it was like to be cremated.

The thought made him grin. He could see a ghostly reflection of himself in the window. He turned away from his reflection and skipped over to his bed, removed the little bag with his belongings from his back and slid it under his own bed. Then he toed off his shoes and let them fall to the floor with two loud bangs. The sound made a couple of the kids shift in their sleep.

_I won't escape tonight, _he decided_, tomorrow morning is pancake breakfast_.

And with that thought the little boy fell asleep.

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To Be Continued.

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	2. Chapter 2: The New Kid

Chapter Two: The New Kid

The first sound of the church bell tolling in the morning silence brought Duo to life. He sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes vigorously. The other children were shuffling about the large room that they shared. Some were getting dressed. A few kids in the far corner were jumping on their beds. A small boy at the front of the room was showing off a mouse trap he had found beneath one of the beds, complete with a petrified mouse attached.

Duo changed his clothes and feverishly made his way to the door. He tried the handle. Locked. The sound of his stomach grumbling unhappily in his torso made him wince.

"Duo! Look! A mouse! See how its eyes popped out of its head!" The small boy exclaimed with eyes gleaming in delight. Duo sighed and looked at the mouse. It was squished in the middle. It must have been dead for quite some time because its fur was falling off and it seemed stiff as a board. And, just as the small boy said, its eyes were jutting out.

"Everything that sees death loses its eyes." Duo said in a faux expert tone. The small boy stared at Duo in awe.

"How come?" The small boy questioned as he stared at the mouse in the trap. He was holding the mouse by the tail which looked as if any moment it would tear off.

"Because," Duo began loudly, "Death does that to things. When you see it, you lose your sight. Then people just give up and die because they don't want to live blind."

It didn't have to make any sense. The small boy was still impressed. He stared up at Duo with wide, worshipping blue eyes. The braided boy grinned and nodded his head, as if he was very certain that was why the eyes popped out. It wasn't a lie, though. Duo had his own philosophy on everything. Granted, it was the philosophy of a seven year-old, but still a personal philosophy nonetheless.

The metallic clanking of keys sounded from down the hall. Duo bounced up and down eagerly. He was starving and the thought of pancakes was making him restless.

The door opened. Just as it did the braided boy bolted through the opening and rushed forward towards the cafeteria.

"Duo. No breakfast yet." Said a smooth, calm voice. The little boy stopped short and nearly toppled over. He turned around and stared up at Sister Helen, who was smiling down at him with an amused twinkle in her deep green eyes.

"But… can't I eat first? I am starved!" He squeaked.

"I am afraid not. We have to see Father Maxwell first." And with that the sister grabbed Duo by the shoulder and began guiding him down the hallway opposite of the cafeteria.

"But… they are gonna eat all the pancakes!" Duo protested. He glanced over his shoulder at the other children who were running happily in the direction of the cafeteria.

He began to imagine the other kids as round, pink pigs who hogged all of the food. They ate everything on the table, including the silverware and the plates. And, when he finally arrived, there would be nothing left but a crumb under the table. When he crawled under to get the crumb the dead mouse would come out of the shadows and steal it from him. His imagination also revealed an image of himself skinny and weak, begging door to door searching for pancakes.

They walked around the corner at the end of the hall where Father Maxwell's office was. As they approached Duo saw a stout wooden chair set just outside of Father Maxwell's door. Upon the seat of the chair was a small stack of pancakes.

The little boy's eyes lit up with excitement. "Those for me?!" He asked the sister and he scurried up to the warm plate of sticky pancakes.

"Yes. Hurry up and eat. I'll tell Father Maxwell you're here." Then she slid through the door into the office.

Duo took a seat on the chair. His legs dangled over the edge. The toes of his shoes just barely scraped the floor as his legs flailed back and forth as he settled himself on the hard wooden chair. He then lifted his plate near his face and began scarfing down his pancakes. And, to him, these pancakes tasted different than the usual.

He began thinking perhaps Sister Helen had not only got these just for him but that she made them too. That was probably why they tasted so good.

After finishing his breakfast he put the plate on the ground and slid it under his chair. He could hear Sister Helen's soothing voice faintly through the door. Her voice was accompanied by the raspy, hoarse voice of Father Maxwell. Duo's eyes lit up as an idea immediately struck him. He shoved himself from the chair, landed lightly on his feet then scampered over to the large oak door that led into Father Maxwell's office. He could hear they were in a heated argument about something. Sister Helen's voice was a few tones higher than her normal alto and Father Maxwell's words seemed to spill out quicker than they normally did. Duo pressed his ear to the smooth, knotted wood and closed his eyes to listen. He could only make out parts of the conversation.

"He …to escape but then he … so why … another chance?" The sister was saying.

"As long as he doesn't cause any more trouble. We…let…for the only…lives and safety … just one child." Father Maxwell's voice was somber and Duo just knew he was in big trouble.

He didn't want to hear anymore. He slid away from the door and padded back to his seat against the wall. Just as he had repositioned himself in the seat the office door opened and Father Maxwell strode out, closely followed by a smiling Sister Helen. Duo tucked his legs under the chair and smiled his happiest, most carefree smile.

"Duo. Why do you keep trying to run away? Don't you like it here?" Father Maxwell asked. He was a kind looking old man. Tall, and very skinny, he had a wrinkled face that held the kindest eyes Duo had ever seen. They were pale blue, trustworthy eyes. Duo always liked to look into them. He was doing so at the moment while Father Maxwell stood patiently beside the chair waiting for the little boy's answer.

"I didn't want to run away forever. Just for a little while." Duo replied truthfully. He wasn't exactly sure what he meant, but those words seemed to fit. Father Maxwell looked as if he understood. His light-colored eyes began to mirror the smile on his aged, wrinkled face.

"I suppose once a stray cat, always a stray cat." The old man said with a hint of laughter in his voice. "We don't want to keep you from being happy, Duo. There is just a lot of danger outside of the orphanage. You know that…" The father reached down to rub the top of Duo's red-brown hair affectionately. "We don't want to see anything happen to you."

The braided boy frowned a little. Those words made his chest ache. "Sorry…"

"It is OK young man, but there is still consequence for what you did. You are going to have bathroom duty for a week." Father Maxwell said. Duo frowned deeper and began to groan in protest. Sister Helen chuckled behind a small, delicate hand.

"Bathroom duty!? YUCK!" The little boy exclaimed. Father Maxwell patted Duo firmly on the back with a large, thin-fingered hand.

"Starting now." The old man said. Duo groaned louder. "Go on. The bucket and mop are in the closet."

"The girl's bathroom, too?!" Duo exclaimed, incredulously. Father Maxwell nodded. "Man… this stinks!" The braided boy hopped to his feet and began shuffling reluctantly down the hall towards the supply closet. He could hear Sister Helen and Father Maxwell's laughter behind him as he went.

The way they laughed made him mad. He didn't like it when people laughed at him. He didn't like this punishment, either, and he couldn't understand why they wanted to humiliate him like this. He quickened his step. He decided that he would hurry and finish cleaning the bathroom so he could go outside and bug the gardener. He began running an inventory of things he needed from the garden shed…

Then, when he rounded the corner, he ran smack into someone.

"Watch it."

"Sorry."

Duo stood in place and stared straight into the face of the kid he had run into. Two narrow, deep blue eyes stared coldly back at him, half-hidden by a mass of messy dark brown hair. The person he bumped into was a kid the same height as he was. He looked to be the same age as Duo, too. Yet, something was very different about this kid. For one thing, his eyes were narrowed in the most intense glare Duo had ever seen. The second thing was that the kid was accompanied by two Colony Police Officers.

Duo's automatic response when in the presence of the Colony Police was to run.

So he did. He turned around and ran away as fast as he could down the corridor and darted around the corner. Then he leaned against the wall and panted a few times before peeking around the corner at the boy and the police. At first he thought the police were there to take him away but as he watched them lead the other boy towards Father Maxwell's office he realized they were at the church to bring another orphan. That strange boy with the angry eyes. They knocked on the door then escorted the strange boy into Father Maxwell's room.

Duo was curious. He took a step in the direction of the closed door and considered listening in on them but stopped and shook his head. He had a busy day ahead of him with cleaning and gathering tools. With a sly smile he turned and ran towards the supply closet. He pulled forth a smelly mop and a big, metal bucket before trudging towards the boy's bathroom.

The bathroom was a formidable size as far as bathrooms go. It had three urinals against one wall with one short, wooden stall with a full toilet inside. There was a short, off-white porcelain sink with a cloudy square mirror set above it. Despite how old everything was the bathroom was not very dirty. The braided boy began filling the bucket with water, added some lemon scented liquid to it and began stabbing the mop into it roughly. Water splashed in all directions and fresh-smelling suds began to rise from the top of the bucket and spill out onto the floor. Then he yanked the mop from the bucket and let the wet fibers fall to the tile floor with a loud "splat". He began dragging the mop across the floor mindlessly at first before realizing he could make a game out of it. He began drawing shapes on the floor with the suds. Then he kicked off his shoes and put them in the sink to keep them from getting wet. He tipped the bucket over with a bare toe. The water poured out onto the floor and began to spread to every corner of the bathroom. Now there was a giant puddle in the center of the room. Duo tried to resist but it was no use. When presented with the perfect opportunity to splash in a puddle he took it.

With an excited yell he ran into the center of the massive puddle and began stomping joyfully in circles. Water splashed in all directions. The bottoms of his pants were soaked and the walls all around him were darkened with streaks of water.

Just as he was about to test how big of a splash he could make the bathroom door opened. He froze, expecting the scolding voice of one of the nuns or Father Maxwell to speak. Nobody said anything. There was silence. Duo hesitantly peered over at the entrance of the bathroom to see the strange boy from earlier standing against the inside of the door staring at him.

"Uh… heh heh… cleaning." Duo explained. He went over to pick up the mop he had discarded in the corner and began frantically mopping up the puddle. He didn't want the new boy to tell on him for what he may have seen. The new boy made a noise in the back of his throat and began walking across the wet floor towards the small, high window against the far wall. Duo watched him as he did. The strange boy was thin, just like Duo, and wore dark gray slacks and a white dress shirt. Duo wondered if he was from a private school. That was how he was dressed. He even had on one of those weird, thin black ties that the rich kids wore. Then Duo noticed that the other boy's dark, leather shoes were leaving dirty footprints in the clean water on the floor.

"Hey! Watch it! I'm trying to clean!" Duo exclaimed loudly. The other boy ignored him. He was standing beside the wall looking up at the window. Duo wasn't sure what he was doing, so he asked. "What are you doing?"

The other boy ignored him. Instead, the strange kid began searching the bathroom with a focused, intense gaze. Duo frowned. He didn't like being ignored.

"If you're thinking about trying to get out that way, don't bother. They nail the windows closed." Duo said smartly before going back to his work at mopping the floor. "I can't even escape this darn place…" Duo added in a low, annoyed mutter. The other boy turned to look at him. Duo looked up from the puddle he was mopping up to meet the other boy's gaze.

"You're not me." The other boy said in a low, quiet voice. Duo's eyes widened. Then the other boy's mouth curled into an amused smile before turning to look at the stall beside the window. Then, with effortless movement the strange boy grabbed the top edge of the stall and pulled himself up. He was standing on the top edge of the narrow wooden wall of the stall when the bathroom door opened with a loud bang.

"It doesn't take five minutes to take a piss!"

It was one of the Colony Police Officers. He stepped inside the bathroom and stood right in the center of Duo's work. He began scanning the bathroom with an angry expression. Then the officer spotted the strange boy standing on the top of the stall's wall.

"Hey! What are you doing up there!?" The man yelled. The strange boy's amused expression darkened. He turned and leapt up at the window. Duo stared in amazement as the boy kicked in the window and slid through the broken glass in what Duo thought was less than a second. The police officer was also in shock but finally snapped out of it, let out a string of curse words Duo had never heard before, then turned and ran out of the bathroom. Duo could hear the officer yelling to his comrade. Then the sound was followed by their stomping boots as they ran down the hall towards the main entrance of the orphanage.

Duo smiled and looked at the broken glass lining the far wall. The bathroom door opened again. He looked over to see Sister Helen standing in the doorway with a worried expression on her face.

"Duo, are you all right?" The sister asked anxiously. She stepped up to the little boy and began looking him over.

"Yeah. That kid broke the window." Duo said plainly. The corner of his mouth perked into a smile. "Do I have to clean that up, too?"

The nun frowned and looked over at the shattered window. "Of course not. You're done for the day, Duo." Then she took the mop from his hand and began ushering him out of the bathroom. He grabbed his shoes, slammed his feet into them quickly and began running down the hallway.

"Duo! Stay out of trouble!" She yelled after him. Duo waved a hand at her and darted down the hall as fast as he could go.

He had to tell the other kids about this!


	3. Chapter 3: Nothing else to Do

Chapter Three: Nothing Else To Do

"And then he jumped out of the window!" Duo squeaked. The other children all gasped in unison at the end of Duo's thrilling story about the strange boy's escape. Duo grinned proudly before letting his expression slip into seriousness.

"You know I heard that some kids from other colonies are mutants because they drank some chemicals." Duo explained. "Maybe that kid had super powers or something."

One of the younger girls frowned. "A mutant?" She echoed. Her voice lined with a hint of fear. A stocky 8-year old stood up from his seat high atop a bunk bed and scoffed loudly.

"There ain't no such thing as mutants." The stocky kid retorted loudly. "That kid is prolly just a criminal or somethin'."

Duo was annoyed with the stocky kid and immediately began feeling defensive. "Are you calling me a liar?" The braided boy had been sitting on his own bed but now was on his feet beside it with hands balled into little, menacing fists. The stocky kid, who was a few inches taller than Duo, looked down at him and scowled.

"I ain't said nothing like that." The stocky one replied. "And you ain't worth fighting. You're just a scrawny pea-brained street kid."

Duo's shoulders began to shake. He took a step towards the stocky boy and grit his teeth so hard his temples began to ache. He was trying his best not to get into any more trouble but the idea of punching this fat boy in the nose was very tempting. He stopped himself at the foot of his own bed and willed his anger away as best that a seven-year old boy can. With a great amount of effort he forced himself to laugh. The sound was bitter and broken. Then he grinned brightly and flicked the other kid the bird. One of the older kids began to laugh.

The other children were silent. They watched Duo's struggle for self control with curious stares. They had actually only expected a fight to ensue. It was the usual way. One kid would say something mean and the target kid would immediately swing a punch or leap upon the provoker. Then they would fight until an adult tore them apart. It was strange for them to see someone much like themselves break that chain of action. And, in a strange and unexplainable way, many of the children who watched this felt that Duo was superior for his actions rather than a chicken for not falling into the step of a fight. If Duo had looked he would have seen respect and admiration in many of the onlooker children's eyes.

The stocky kid just rolled his eyes and lumbered away towards the hallway. Duo straightened his posture and looked over at a few of the kids who were watching him with eager looks as if waiting for another story from the braided boy. "So yeah. That is what happened. I don't think they will ever catch that kid. He was too smart. Too fast." Duo stated plainly. As if to mark the end of his story session the lunch bell broke through the air. The children leapt to their feet and scurried quickly to the doorway and towards the cafeteria. Duo didn't move. He watched as they all ran away. After the last child left Duo grabbed his bag from beneath the bed and began wandering towards the door. Once in the hall he turned to go the opposite way the other children had gone, away from the cafeteria. He had important 

matters to attend to and food would have to wait. Well, at least lunch food. He rummaged around in his pockets and retrieved a small handful of jellybeans. He popped the colorful little candies in his mouth and chewed on them vigorously. He couldn't forgo eating completely!

The halls were empty. It was guaranteed that all of the orphans were in the cafeteria eating. Duo recalled his vision of the round, pink piggies again. The thought made him smile. He picked his way through the halls to the back door which was propped open to let the air circulate through the building. The door led to a massive square of grassy yard that was adjacent to the cemetery. A sandbox and a swing set sat in the middle of the plush, green grass. The entire property was lined by a short, light brown brick wall.

The colony's climate control had determined today to be cool and brightly lit. As Duo exited the yellowed light of the building he had to squint against the blinding pure white sunlight of the yard. He knew that it was imitation light but it was the closest thing to sunlight he had ever had. He never much cared for it, either. He was a peculiar kid. Many of the other children had a natural need to be out in the fake-sun rays but Duo always preferred the artificial light. Right now he was wishing he could return to the dim, dark environment of the orphanage but it would have to wait.

As he stepped out into the yard his squinted eyes immediately locked onto the crooked garden shed that leaned against the back wall. He made his way to it with brisk, energetic steps. Then he looked around cautiously to see if anyone was watching. Nobody seemed to be. He turned to look at the door. It had a padlock on the front. He fingered the lock for a moment before slipping around to the back of the little shed. There was a wooden panel that he had pried loose the last time he came out here. With an easy slide of the fingers one could dislocate the board just enough to make a hole to crawl through. Duo did just that. It was a tight squeeze but he managed to fit inside. He wondered how he was going to get in and out if he got any bigger.

The garden shed held a plethora of tools and items a sneaky little boy could use. There was gardening equipment such as hoes, shovels, rakes, hoses, seeds and fertilizer. Maintenance items were present as well. Things like hammers, nails, screws, drills, saws, pliers, duct tape- Duo's eyes immediately locked onto the duct tape. He just knew he had to have it. He picked it up, rolled it around in his hands for a moment for a quick inspection, and then shoved it into his bag. He gathered a few other items he thought would come in handy. A small Phillips-head screw driver was one thing. His eyes lit up when he found the blow torch. He wanted badly to take it with him. He could think of hundreds of things to use it for however none of them were nice things. So he passed on the blow torch however he did take the spark-making thing that went with it. After thoroughly plundering the shed and finding a variety of treasures his stomach growled an angry reminder that he needed to eat lunch. Just as he was about to crawl through the secret hole in the wall he heard voices from the yard. He froze in place and listened. It was Father Maxwell's voice. He crept to the front door of the shed. A small beam of light shone through a hole in the wood around the door. With silent, catlike movements he knelt beside the hole and peered through it.

Father Maxwell was standing ten feet away from the door to the shed. He was accompanied by a large man in a Colony Police uniform. The officer's hair was cut so short he was practically bald. He had a distorted face. It reminded Duo of the face people make when they eat a lemon. The men were facing one another. Father Maxwell's expression was of displeasure.

"I just don't think we are accommodated for such a task." The father was saying. "I don't want the other children to get hurt."

The officer seemed unhappy to hear this news. His face scrunched up even more. "I assure you it will be safe. We will take measures to make sure the child is not able to hurt anyone."

"What do you mean?" Father Maxwell asked. He seemed worried. Duo knew they were talking about that strange boy from this morning. He leaned against the wood and listened eagerly.

"He will be medicated. We will have one officer here on the property at all times. Also, we request that you house him alone. A sort of solitary confinement." The officer replied in an agitated tone. Father Maxwell shifted uncomfortably.

"But he is only a child. Is it necessary to take such extreme precautions on such a young boy?"

The officer nodded. "As you know we have no facilities for children under the age of ten. We cannot legally hold a child of that age. And, under normal circumstances we would put the child in foster care until assigning them. However, this kid isn't like any other I have ever seen. He may be a little boy in appearance but he is highly intellectual and potentially dangerous." The officer then seemed to have regret bringing 'danger' up to the priest, who was now even more worried looking than before. "Father, I promise you it will only be for a week or two. Until we can assign him to a rehabilitation facility or admit him into some sort of psychiatric home."

Father Maxwell was frowning now. Duo peered through the hole in confusion. Psychiatric home? He wasn't sure what that was. The officer crossed his arms over his chest as if waiting for an answer. Father Maxwell seemed to be warring internally on the matter. However, after a minute or two the priest nodded and slouched in defeat. The officer's mouth transformed into something of a smile.

"Very good. We will see to all of the arrangements." The scrunched-faced man replied before turning to walk towards the back door to the orphanage. Duo saw Father Maxwell rub the spot between his eyebrows with his thumb before following the officer inside. After they had left Duo stood up and began chewing his lower lip in thought. The thought of the strange boy staying there in the orphanage was exciting and scary at the same time. The braided boy had never heard of a kid that adults were afraid of before. He couldn't help but let his curiosity take control of him.

Thoughts about the strange boy nagged him for the rest of the day. He began wondering if he was lucky to have gotten away from the crazy boy. He wondered if the other boy had ever killed anyone. Maybe he was a mutant after all? That would explain why the police officers were scared of him. What if the strange boy was a robot? Maybe he had guns that popped out of his fingertips? Maybe he wasn't a little boy like him but an adult stuck in a kid's body?

The more Duo thought on it the more curious and obsessed with the idea he became.

That night as he lie on his bad thinking that the new boy could possibly be a lizard-person he heard the sound of a car pulling up to the orphanage. He jumped out of bed and quickly ran to the window. He could see the headlights of a car coming to a stop near the front door. The window only allowed him to see the headlights of the car and nothing else. He stared for a long moment, hoping something would reveal itself in his line of vision. Nothing happened. The car shut off and the lights went off. The sound of the front door opening and closing was soon followed by a mixed assortment of footsteps in the hallway. The people passed the door quietly and soon the sound vanished to the back of the building. Duo slumped to a sit on his bed in disappointment.

He had been hoping to see something. He flopped down onto his bed and curled up beneath the covers. He decided he would find out more about this strange kid tomorrow.

There was nothing else to do.


	4. Chapter 4: Meeting over Breakfast

((I wrote this in 103 degree heat. o.o; If it is a little scatterbrained it is because I am fighting the heat exhaustion. Ch 2 will be getting revised as well. I will probably wait until the very end and then go back and redo a few things. Damn... here I am ranting nonsense. :3 Have a happy read. STAY COOL. - Black-Haired Girl))

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BONG. BONG. BONG.

Duo bolted up to a sit in his bed and leapt off of his mattress. A half-second later he was dressed and beside the locked door to the large common room that the children shared. The sound of jingling keys neared the door. With a faint click it was open. He was the first one to run out into the hallway. He followed the succulent smell of ham and eggs down the hall and into the large, open cafeteria. Then he made a bee-line to the counter and grabbed a pre-made tray before making his way as fast as he could to his usual table by the window. His food was gone in less than a minute. He hastily swiped the back of his hand over his mouth to knock loose any crumbs that may have accumulated there before jumping to his feet again. He discarded the tray and began walking a little more casually towards the entrance to the cafeteria. Just as he made it to the doorway a hand grabbed his shoulder. With a start the braided boy spun around on his heels and stared up at the curious face of Father Maxwell.

"Now, where are you off to in such a hurry?" The old man asked with a genuine smile. Duo gulped and began letting his purple-tinted eyes float around the room. First to the ceiling, then to the floor. He was trying to come up with something to say. He didn't like to lie, so it would have to be a half-truth.

"I gotta use the bathroom." He finally blurted. The priest stared at him with an unreadable expression before a vague smile crossed his face.

"Oh? Well that is too bad. I guess I will have to find someone else to do a favor for me…" The father nodded and turned to walk away. Duo's eyes widened in surprise.

"Um wait! What sort of favor?" He asked with curiosity painted plain as day across his face. The priest smiled and walked over to grab a tray from the nearby table. Ham and eggs were piled high in the middle. His stomach growled. He had all ready eaten but the sight of the delicious breakfast was still very appealing.

"Could you bring this to our new member? He is in room 28. You can just give this to the officer at his door. I CAN trust that you won't eat the poor boy's breakfast, right?" The old man raised a graying eyebrow at the young boy. Duo nodded excitedly. With a satisfied nod Father Maxwell handed him the breakfast tray. The young boy grabbed it tightly with both hands and made his way out the door and down the hall.

As he walked he began wondering if Father Maxwell knew his plan to check out the new kid. After all, it was where he was going originally. Now he had a good excuse to come and see for himself. He turned the corner towards room 28. It was a room that was usually used for guests like instructors or potential parents ready to adopt an orphan. In the year and a half that Duo had been at the orphanage he had never seen the room used. Now the new kid had it to himself.

As he made his way down the hall he began to wonder about the conversation Father Maxwell had with the Colony Officer the previous afternoon. Duo felt that Father Maxwell did not want the new boy there. He thought that was strange. Father Maxwell had a reputation for taking in anyone, no matter what trouble they had been into before. He had been in all sorts of trouble and Father Maxwell had been very happy to have him stay. So what did this new boy do that was so terrible that even someone like Father Maxwell was hesitant to take him in?

The braided boy arrived at room 28. The officer was sitting in a chair in front of the door reading a newspaper. He turned to look at the braided boy as he approached. Duo felt his muscles begin to tense. He fought back the automatic response to run. His breathing began to quicken and his heart began to pound in his chest.

_He isn't gonna get me. I didn't do anything wrong…_ he chanted over and over to himself as he approached. The man gave the little boy a stern glare.

"What do you want?" The man snarled. Duo held up the tray.

"I got food for the new kid." He replied. His voice quivered slightly as he did. The man immediately knew Duo was on edge. He had to do something quick. He plastered on the biggest smile he could muster and hoped it would be enough. "Some stinky old eggs. Can I give it to him?"

The officer regarded the little boy with a flat expression before a crooked smile crossed his face. He seemed amused by this. "Yeah, sure kid. Go right ahead. Be careful, that one bites…" The man then lifted his hand that clutched the newspaper. He held it up at the braided boy. Duo could see a few red indents on the man's knuckles.

"Woah." The boy stared at the marks on the man's hand. His fake smile began to fade away. A genuine, excited grin appeared in its place. "Cool!"

The officer's crooked smile immediately transformed into a look of disgust. "Damn kids…" He growled. The man stood up and walked over to the door. He pulled forth a key from his right pocket and unlocked it. Then he pushed it in roughly. The door opened with a loud bang that made Duo jump and nearly drop the breakfast tray. The officer didn't enter the room.

"After you." The man said in a low, taunting voice. Duo glanced over at the officer before hesitantly walking inside.

The room was brightly lit by a single lamp from the ceiling. There were no windows. In the center of the room stood a large bed with a carved headboard as well as a desk and a stand with a television on it. Duo had been expecting it to look like a jail cell like in the movies but this room just looked like an ordinary guest room. Then he spotted the new kid lying in the center of the large bed.

The strange boy was on his back staring up at the ceiling. He didn't even bother to look up at Duo as he came in. The braided boy took a step forward. Just as he cleared the doorway the officer slammed the door shut behind him. He heard the click of the lock followed by the muffled sounds of the officer laughing.

Duo's first response was to panic. He stared at the new boy on the bed. The strange kid just lay there unmoving. He was wearing the same clothes from before except now his white dress shirt was dingy off-white with the occasional blotchy blood stain.

"So… um… here is your breakfast." The braided boy announced loudly. He slammed the tray down on the desk. The other boy said nothing.

"Ham and eggs. I hope you like them." He said. The strange boy didn't move. Duo stared at him for a long moment while he nervously toyed with his braid. His eyes inspected he other kid closely. His hands lie unmoving on the bed. Duo didn't see any robotic joints or wires on them. Mutants tended to be slimy. The new kid's skin was tan and looked dry. The only other possibility was that he was an adult in a kid's body. Duo wouldn't be able to see that. He would have to ask him a question.

"Um… how old are you?" That seemed like a good question. It got the new kid's attention. He slid up to a sit on his elbows and stared unblinking at Duo. The braided boy froze and stared back.

"I don't know." The other boy finally said. Duo gasped.

"So you ARE an adult stuck in a kid's body! How did you do that?" He blurted excitedly. The strange boy's eyebrows lifted in surprise.

"I am not." The new kid said. He was frowning and didn't seem amused. Duo took a step back and began tugging anxiously on his braid. He wasn't sure what to say. The young boy stricken to silence was a rare occurrence.

"Um… ok… sorry." Duo stammered nervously. The other boy sat up straight and crossed his legs beneath him. His eyes were locked onto Duo in an analytical stare. He suddenly felt very uneasy. "I guess I'll go now." And with that the braided boy began shuffling towards the door.

"No. Wait. Stay." The strange boy said softly. Duo saw the corner of his mouth beginning to perk a bit but it didn't look like a smile. The braided boy stopped in mid-retreat and gulped nervously.

"I was just supposed to give you breakfast." The braided boy explained apprehensively. The strange boy was looking him over. It made Duo felt very uncomfortable. He began backing away towards the door. He also avoided direct eye contact.

_He might be a dry mutant…_ Duo decided as he stared at the far wall, _and he might have mind control. I shouldn't look him in the eye._

The new boy tilted his head as he studied the braided boy. "You are afraid of me, aren't you?" The boy asked. Duo gave him a sideways glance but still continued to avoid looking him directly in the eye.

"Well… kinda." Duo answered truthfully. "You're not a mutant, are you?"

Suddenly a loud sound filled the air. The new boy was laughing. Duo had jumped at the abrupt sound of the boy's dazzling, happy laughter. He turned to stare dumbly at the shaggy-haired kid who was now doubled over on the mattress holding his stomach, laughing uncontrollably.

"N…no!" The kid stammered through gasping breaths.

Duo sighed in relief and found that he was laughing as well. The act of laughing alleviated any fear or anxiety he had brought into the room with him. "Why do you think that?" The boy finally asked. His cheeks were tinted pink from laughing and his mouth displayed a fine-lined, heartfelt smile. The braided boy relaxed and walked up to the foot of the bed.

"I dunno. I saw you jump out of that window yesterday and I have never seen a normal kid do anything like that." Duo explained. The strange boy gazed at him through his messy mop of brown hair.

"Oh." Was the new kid's quiet reply. "No. I am not a mutant. Or an adult in a kid's body…"

"How about a robot? Or a lizard-person?" Duo added. The new boy chuckled and shook his head.

"No." The new boy said. "I'm just a normal kid."

"Then why did they lock you up in here?" Duo asked inquisitively. The new boy's smile faded away and he looked down at his hands. He immediately regret asking.

"I got in trouble." The dark-haired boy replied. Duo frowned and shifted his weight on his feet uneasily. The room's previous happy and light mood became heavy and oppressive. The braided boy looked around anxiously to find something else to focus on. He spotted the tray of food and snatched it from the desk. Then he set it on the foot of the bed in front of the new boy.

"Here! Eat! It is really good." Duo chirped happily. The boy looked down at the food and frowned deeper.

"No. I don't want any."

"But you gotta eat!"

The thought of someone not wanting perfectly good food was foreign to him. The new kid just shook his head and pushed the tray away from him.

"You can have it. I don't want any." The strange boy said. Duo looked down at the plate piled high with golden yellow eggs and dark pink cubes of ham. His stomach flipped in anticipation.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Go ahead."

That was all he needed. The braided boy began forking the fluffy eats into his mouth. The new boy sat in silence and watched him eat. The friendly boy looked up as he finished eating. For a moment the new boy's eyes seemed to reflect a hint of sadness.

"What is your name?" The strange boy asked as he broke the silence.

"Duo! What's yours?" He asked cheerfully. The dark-haired boy frowned and seemed to drift off into thought.

"I don't have one anymore. I need a new one."

Duo thought that sounded strange. He bit his lower lip and began rubbing his chin in thought.

_Maybe he is an orphan like me and doesn't know his real name._ Duo reasoned.

"How about Jeff?" Duo asked. The dark-haired boy frowned and wrinkled his nose. "Ben? Dwight? Um… Pedro?"

"Those are bad names." The strange boy said with a note of disgust.

"Well… what did your friends call you?" Duo asked. The boy's frown intensified and he looked down at his hands again.

"I've never had friends."

The braided boy's eyes widened in surprise. Someone who never had a friend! It was quite possibly one of the saddest things he had ever heard. Pity began to swell in his chest.

"Well… I'm your friend now." Duo said determinedly. The tip of his tongue poked out of the corner of his mouth as he fell into deep thought. "And I say your name will be… Solo, since you are always alone. But, when you're with me- we'll be a duo!"

The strange boy looked up from his hands and stared. Duo wasn't sure what the look on his face meant. It seemed sad and happy at the same time. Then the corner of the boy's mouth lifted into a half-smile.

"Solo... I like that name." He said softly. Duo grinned and was happy that he had found a solution to the nameless boy's dilemma. He began hopping up and down excitedly. After the second bounce the room began to slowly spin.

"Wh… what… the…" Then everything shifted violently to the right. He lost his balance and began to tumble to the right towards the floor. However, before he hit the floor two arms caught him around the waist. Everything began to swirl out of control. He tried to move his arms but his limbs were heavy and he felt very weak. His heart was thumping loudly in his ears.

"What… is happening to … me." He managed to ask. He looked up to see the newly named Solo holding him. The other boy's eyes were dark and barely visible through his messy hair. He dragged Duo to the bed and pulled him up onto it. After situating Duo on the bed he leaned in close to the braided boy's face.

"You are going to sleep for a while." Solo said softly. Duo tried to sit up. His arms trembled beneath his own weight and failed to be of any use.

"How… why am I…" The braided boy couldn't form a complete thought. He was very tired and it took all of his effort to keep his eyes open.

"I'm very sorry, Duo." Solo whispered. Duo's eyelids slid closed but he fought to stay awake. Just before he drifted to sleep he could hear someone knock on the door. Then the sound of two people struggling was followed by a loud thud and a grunt.

Then he fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5: Success!

( I know this is really short. I have been very busy and I felt that I let too much time pass without SOMETHING for you guys to think about. So here is a really quick teaser. I will be more active next week when things calm down. )

Chapter Five: Success!

One violet eye cracked open. Then the other joined it. Duo groaned as the light pierced his sensitive eyes.

"Wha… what happened…" He muttered softly as he attempted to sit up in bed. His thoughts were fuzzy and as he looked around he wondered why everything seemed so blurry. A puffy, round shape was hovering near his face.

"Oh thank goodness," said the blurry blob. He realized it was Sister Helen's soothing voice. "You were beginning to worry me." Then he felt the woman begin to stroke the top of his head anxiously.

"Sister… what happened?" Duo inquired hesitantly. He blinked furiously and tried to focus on the woman's face. Her features began to gain more definition but were still slightly smudged and out of focus. His eyes frantically began searching his surroundings. He was still in the guest room however now he had been tucked in neatly under the covers. A steaming bowl of soup was sitting on the side table along with a tall glass of water.

And Solo was nowhere to be found.

_He got away…_ Duo reflected. _He used me to get away!_

"You poor dear…" The woman cooed at him. Her petting of his head became more frantic. "You poor, poor dear."

The little boy became agitated by the woman's fussing and swatted her hand dismissively away from his head. "That jerk! He knew I was going to sleep!" He rubbed his eyes for a few seconds before trying to crawl off of the bed. "Next time I see him I am gonna slug him in the nose!"

The nun's frown deepened and she began to pull at the boy's arms to keep him in the bed. "Let's hope you never have to see that awful boy again. Now, calm down. You need to rest." Then with gentle urging managed to get him to lie back down on the soft mattress. The braided boy scowled and reluctantly and did as he was told. He was too tired to resist her. With a loud sigh he slouched back and rested his head against the feather pillow.

"Go to sleep, Duo." She said quietly before giving his little hand a firm pat. He frowned, narrowed his eyes and stared at the far wall. Then his face scrunched up into a dissatisfied pout. The nun smiled reassuringly at him before walking over to the door. She turned a knob on the wall that dimmed the light. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight…" The little boy muttered. He watched as she closed the door. He could hear her footsteps fading away in retreat down the hallway. Then there was silence. He waited for a couple of minutes to make sure the coast was clear before crawling out of the bed. He was still wearing his black pants and shirt. His shoes were set neatly on the floor at the foot of the bed. He groggily slid his feet into them and then he shuffled up to the bowl of cooling soup and slurped its contents up quickly before tip-toeing to the door.

Then the braided boy tested the knob.

_Not locked!_ He turned the doorknob all the way and began to pull the door open slowly. Inch by inch it came open to reveal the dim, empty hallway. _I musta slept all day, _he realized. The lights were only dimmed at night.

He peered down the dim hall first to the left, and then to the right. Nobody seemed to be around. Then he grinned wickedly. It was amazing luck that he had this golden opportunity to make an escape and he couldn't pass it up! Without a second thought he slid out into the dim hall and began making his way silently towards the back door.

He wasn't sure why he wanted to leave. Most of the time he just acted on impulse and when given the chance to do something, he did it! That was how he had lived so far and that philosophy never steered him wrong. At least, he didn't think it did.

So he managed to get through the halls undetected. He came up to the back door, unlocked it, and then crept out into the colony's dimly lit night.


	6. Chapter 6: No Title

Duo shuffled cautiously forward into the L2 colony night. The lights were dimmed to simulate night time on earth and the climate control had been turned down to save power, which had let the chill of space set in. The air was chilly and stagnant due to the lack of circulation. Duo walked out onto the well clipped patch of lawn behind the orphanage and looked up. Instead of the sky the little boy saw nothing but buildings and faint lights flickering high overhead with the occasional electric car or scooter making its way around the narrow streets above.

With a satisfied grin he stretched his arms up over his head and pretended to grab at the dim, blinking lights. Despite his lingering grogginess he felt a rush of exhilaration. He had finally escaped and now it was time to have a little fun.

He made his way across the grass in silence and picked his way through the cemetery by ducking from shadow to shadow until he came to a small side-street that flanked the church. Once a good distance away he poked his head around the corner to investigate. The coast was clear. He grinned eagerly before revealing himself from his hiding spot behind the wall and began sauntering casually down the street.

_I will just take a walk then go back_, he decided.

The walk was refreshing. The children weren't allowed to leave the small square of yard behind the orphanage due to the dangers that L2 colony held. There was a military base nearby and a hostile takeover between factions in progress. Not to mention the colony was notorious for its drugs, crime and prostitution. All of which made for a very scary place for children. Many of the other orphans were fearful of going anywhere alone but Duo yearned for it. He had survived the streets of L2 for a while on his own and was confident that he could handle anything.

Except for the Colony Police.

He hated them.

As he wandered the sidewalk he began to notice familiar places and landmarks. He founds the pizzeria where he and a few of the other street kids would wash dishes for food, the corner where all of the pimps would pick up their workers and the narrow ally where there was always someone from the black market willing to buy your kidneys off of you if you were willing.

He walked for a half hour before he came to a tall fence that blocked the road. The top of the fence was wrapped with barbed-wire and beyond the gate he could make out the faint outline of a fleet of mobile suits stationed within. The sight of the mobile suits was unsettling to him. He felt a tight knot growing in his stomach as he approached. The sensation became so strong he had to stop walking. It was as if every step he took towards the suits made his stomach ache and churn.

He stared through the holes of the fence at the massive killing machines that stood unmoving in the darkness. He had seen the suits battle on television and was aware of how dangerous they were. One suit could destroy a colony. The human-shaped war machines were as tall as a building and had been used as tools of force against the colony citizens.

His breathing began to grow heavy as his anxiety mounted. He stared up at the nearest suit that loomed ominously in the dark on the opposite side of the fence.

_I wonder what it is like in one of those…_ he began to ponder as he stared. Just then the head of the suit turned and looked straight down at him. The camera flashed in the center of the suit's face and its armed hand raised and pointed directly at Duo.

He screamed. Startled, he took a clumsy step backwards.

Then he bumped into something. Frightened, he spun around and stared into two cold, dark blue eyes.

"Move."

It was Solo.

Before Duo could react the dark-haired boy had gripped his wrist and was dragging him towards a nearby grove of trees. Once within the protective shadows of the trees Solo stopped and released his grasp on Duo's wrist. The braided boy was panting and, with a wild-eyed swing punched Solo in the nose.

"Ow! What did you do that for!" Solo growled. He had a hand cupped over his nose which now leaked a moderate trail of fresh blood.

"You jerk!" Duo hissed. He went to swing at the other boy again but the dark-haired boy was ready for it and easily ducked out of the way. "You let them drug me!"

Duo could see Solo's eyes widen in the darkness. Solo let his hand drop from his face, the blood now running over his lips and down to the tip of his chin. "I said I was sorry."

The braided boy scowled and shook a trembling, ball of fist at the other boy. "It was a rotten trick." Then he watched as Solo began to wipe the blood from his nose with the back of a hand. "And what are you still doing here? You should be gone by now. What are you stupid?!"

The dark-haired boy's eyes tilted down to the ground and his jaw tightened considerably. Duo fell silent and stared at him, not sure what he should think. He was angry that the new boy had sacrificed him to make an escape but at the same time he had a vast amount of respect for the strange kid. He watched as Solo seemed to be trying to calculate the right words to say.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay." Solo stated.

((It is unlike me to write such short chapters but I am just sooo out of it. I think I partied too hard this weekend. Go me! Poor story, though, so neglected. Will write more. I promise.))


	7. Chapter 7: Duo and Solo Trouble

Chapter Seven: Duo and Solo Trouble

Duo wasn't expecting that as a response from the strange boy. His jaw slackened and he stared at Solo for a few stricken moments before shrugging his shoulders and throwing his hands up in defeat. "Well, I guess that makes us friends."

The dark-haired boy looked up at him through his messy chocolate bangs. "Friends…" He echoed before continuing to wipe at his bleeding nose with the back of an all ready grungy sleeve.

Duo nodded and grinned cheerfully at him. "Yeah, of course. We kids have to stick together you know." Then he bounced over to the tree line and stole a look at the fenced-in mobile suits in the distance. "Sorry for decking you in the nose…"

"Mn." Solo replied. He had finally regained control of his nose and had slid up behind Duo to peek around the tree as well.

"Man… those things are cool lookin'. I wonder what they are called." Duo mumbled in awe as he inspected the suits from a distance.

"OZ-06MS Leo, space type." Solo recited from memory over Duo's shoulder. "Made with titanium alloy. 7.0 metric tons. 16.2 meters high. They have ultracompact fusion reactors."

Duo froze in place and turned to stare in awe at his companion. "You… you knew all that?" Then the braided boy's face broke out into an impressed and thrilled smile. "That was … AMAZING! How do you know that?" Solo frowned and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"I just like knowing that kind of stuff," the dark haired boy replied vaguely before anxiously trying to change the topic. "I can teach you a lot of things."

This caught the braided boy's attention. "Oh yeah? Like how to bust a window in and escape through it?" This made Solo's frown deepen.

"No. I mean… yes, but more than that." Then the dark-haired boy shifted uncomfortably and stared down at his dress shirt's bloody sleeves. He began tearing the stained part of the fabric off and seemed to be very focused on this task. Duo was watching him with a curious gaze.

"You're a strange kid." Duo said plainly. "You make crazy escapes, the police are after you, and you're obsessed with mobile suits…" He turned his back to the tree and lazily leaned against it. "Where are your parents?"

This made Solo pause. His dark eyes flickered up at Duo for a moment before he began more aggressively ripping at the fabric. "I don't have any." The braided boy smiled and nodded in understanding.

"Hey, don't let it get you down. A lot of us don't have parents. What happened to them? They die in an attack? They abandon you? Mine were killed in an OZ raid." Duo stated matter-of-factly. In reality he wasn't sure what happened to his own parents, so he assumed they had been killed in a raid. He had been alone for as long as he could remember and only held one distant, fuzzy recollection of a woman holding him- who he assumed was his mother. This statement seemed to have affected the other boy significantly. Solo's face began to harden and his deep blue eyes flashed with an unreadable emotion.

"I don't know." The dark-haired boy finally stated. He tore at the final piece of bloody white fabric and with a loud rip it detached from him and landed on the grass at their feet.

"Oh." Duo said softly. He regarded his new friend with a hint of concern. He was a curious boy but he knew when to reign in his curiosity. He wanted to know more about Solo's past but he could see that the other boy didn't want to share his past with him. He would wait until the time was right to ask again. He didn't much care for the past, anyway.

"So where are you gonna go now that you're free?" Duo inquired, deciding to change the topic. Solo shrugged and rolled up what was left of his sleeves.

"I have things to do," Solo answered.

"Like what?"

"Things…"

Duo frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "You can't be my friend and not tell me ANYTHING!" The braided boy exclaimed in exasperation. "You can trust me!"

Solo's eyebrows shot up high on his forehead and he regarded his new friend with a skeptical look. Duo wondered if this kid had ever trusted anyone in his entire life.

"Look. Maybe I can help you with some of the stuff you gotta do," the braided boy suggested brightly. Solo's eyes reflected a hint of consideration at this idea. Duo gave him his most personable and confident smile.

"Maybe…" Solo muttered. He seemed to be deep in thought for a few moments before reluctantly nodding. Duo bounced with excitement.

"Great! You just wait! I am awesome at sneaking and … well… that is about it. But if you ever need to sneak into anywhere I am your guy!" The braided boy chirped enthusiastically. "So what do we do first?"

(hr)

"I can't believe you talked me into this!" Duo grumbled with agitation as he clung desperately to a long branch of a tree. He looked down to see Solo staring up at him with a blank expression. He crawled a couple more inches with fingers grasping at the rough bark.

The tree he was climbing stood beside a pawn shop and this branch in particular hung right over the roof. Duo had scaled the tree and climbed out onto the branch in hopes of getting onto the roof of the pawn shop. All at Solo's request.

"Ok, do you see a black box under the ledge?" Solo asked flatly as he watched the braided boy do his bidding. Duo shimmied forward a few more inches then sat upright on the branch. He peered into the darkness at the roof. Sure enough, just as Solo had said, there was a flat, rectangular box hidden just behind the ledge under him. However, it seemed just out of reach.

"Yeah. I see it." Duo said quietly. He reached down and tried to touch the box. His fingers missed it by inches.

"You have to open it, take the white wire and disconnect it while I open the door. When I am in you have to reconnect it or the alarm will sound. After you pull it we will have thirty seconds." Solo explained. Duo frowned and tried to reach for the box again. This time he leaned down as far as he could. His middle finger barely grazed its smooth surface.

"Hurry." Solo urged. Duo scowled and rolled his eyes.

"Wait a second, will ya!?" The braided boy hissed in annoyance. He had an idea. He sat up on the branch and hooked it with the backs of his knees. Then he flipped over so he was hanging upside down by them, just as he did at the orphanage on the monkey bars. His braid trailed down past his head and swung back and forth like a pendulum. This time he had plenty of arm length to grab the box. It was a little awkward being upside down but he managed. He pried the box open and easily found the white wire.

"Ok. I got it." He whispered loudly. He could hear scraping and tapping as Solo began manipulating the lock.

"Now!" Solo demanded.

Duo pulled the white wire and disconnected it from the square, gray box that was the center of the alarm system. A red light lit up and began to blink. Duo began counting them. The sound of the door opening and slamming shut echoed through the darkness. Once he heard the door close he quickly shoved the white wire back into place. The red light turned green, flashed a few times then vanished.

Several minutes passed. Duo could hear cars whirring down the street below him. He swung back and forth from the branch, still hanging upside down. His head began to ache as the blood began to settle in his brain and his legs started to tingle, threatening to fall asleep.

Then he heard three loud bangs. It was Solo banging on the door to let Duo know to disconnect the white wire. He pulled it free from the central core of the system. The red light came to life again. The front door opened then slammed close. Duo then jimmied the wire back in place and let out a sigh of relief.

"Duo… did you put the wire back?" Solo asked from the sidewalk below. Duo hefted himself to sit upright on the branch. He swayed to the side a little as the dizziness from the blood leaving his head overtook him for a moment. Once settled he looked down at the shaggy-haired boy.

"Yep. All set." Duo said. He began sliding down the trunk of the tree. He landed on the ground with a happy hop before eyeing his partner in crime. Solo had a bag slung over his shoulder. It was bulging and made the dark-haired boy lean a little. Duo assumed it was rather heavy.

"Lets get out of here…" Solo replied. He began hurrying down the street. A car turned the corner and began coming toward them. Solo slid into an alley before the headlights could illuminate them and began making his way down the narrow corridor between buildings. Duo followed but once Solo slid into the alley he began to quicken his pace.

"Hey… um… do you know where you are goin'?" Duo asked, trying to keep up with the other boy. Solo's step hesitated for a moment before he continued on confidently.

"Yes."

Duo smirked, stopped, and then put his hands on his hips. "So you know you are heading right for the Colony Police Station, right?" This made Solo stop dead in his tracks. He turned and regarded his new sidekick with a raised eyebrow.

"Gonna turn in all that loot you stole?" Duo taunted. Solo scowled before sighing in defeat.

"Okay, so I am lost. Where is a good place to hide out?"

Duo's smile couldn't have gotten any bigger. "Follow me!" He exclaimed. He began to run in the direction they had come. He was very familiar with the streets of L2. They were his home before being taken in by the church's orphanage. He knew this world inside and out. He led Solo several blocks away from the pawn shop to an industrial district where construction companies and contractors stored building supplies. They approached a chain-linked fence that surrounded one such area. Duo searched the face of the fence for a minute or two before finding a loose flap. Then he crawled inside, closely followed by Solo.

He picked his way through the darkness before finding a formidable hiding place within a massive cement cylinder that rested on its side.

The two boys crawled in and got comfortable.

"So what did you get?" Duo inquired curiously. He reached over to grab the bag that Solo had set between them. Just as he touched the bag Solo swat his hand away. Then the dark-haired boy unzipped the top and began digging around within it. The first thing he retrieved was a long-barreled hand gun. It was so big the young boy had to hold it with both hands.

"Jeez! That this is HUGE!" Duo exclaimed in surprise. Solo smirked and nodded in agreement. Duo hesitantly reached out and let a small finger caress the massive barrel while Solo struggled to hold it up. "What do you need that thing for?!"

Solo's mouth opened to expose a flash of teeth as he smiled widely. "I don't _need_ it for anything. I just wanted it. It is called a Desert Eagle."

Duo gawked. "Dang! I heard of those! You can take down an elephant with it!"

Solo nodded and regarded the massive gun with admiration before setting it carefully aside. Then he pulled forth another handgun, this one much smaller than the first. Its surface was a dull, matte black finish. It had "GLOCK" written on the handle. Solo handled it for a moment before pulling the slide back to check for bullets. Once certain it was unloaded he handed it to Duo.

"I got this one for you." Solo replied plainly. Duo took the gun in hand and stared down at it, astonished. He had never actually held a gun before. He wrapped one small hand around the handle, held it up and aimed it down the length of the tube they sat in. "Wow…"

The corner of Solo's mouth perked a bit. "Here. Guns are designed for adults so you are going to have to hold it like this…" The dark-haired boy reached over and corrected Duo's grip so that the spot between his forefinger and thumb hugged the handle high and snug. Then he grabbed the braided boy's other hand and showed him how to hold it firmly between the two. Duo watched Solo as he corrected him with a look of admiration.

"Cool…" Duo mumbled quietly as he stared down at his own hands holding the weapon. Solo nodded and sat back on his heels before grabbing another gun from the sack.

"Yours is a 9mm." Solo explained. Then he held up his own treasure from the sack. "I got a .40 caliber. They are similar, but yours will be easier to shoot." He held up a hand holding the other gun. Unlike Duo's his was a little larger with "SIG SAUER" scrawled across the side of the barrel.

"Ooooh." Duo regarded his comrade's gun with wonder before looking down at his own. "How do you know so much about guns?"

Solo was toying with the hammer on his own gun. He gave a casual shrug of his shoulder and glanced up at Duo. "My father."

Duo's eyebrows rose. "I thought you said you didn't have parents."

"I don't." Solo replied coldly. He snapped the slide back on his own gun and glared down into the empty hole in the top. "Not anymore."

Duo noted a hint of pain in his friend's eyes and decided to stop asking so many questions. He set his new toy aside before stifling a yawn with the back of his hand. "I am sleepy…" He muttered quietly, stretching his arms high over his head. "Aren't you?"

Solo's face was stoic and unreadable. "Yeah." The dark-haired boy dug around in the bag again and retrieved a box of ammo. He expertly dropped the clip from his gun and began loading it with bullets. "Go to sleep. I'll keep watch."

Duo eyed him suspiciously at first but then found that his fatigue was getting the best of him. It was nearly morning and he felt the persistent pull of sleep upon him. He gave another wide yawn before curling up on his side on the hard cement. It was not something he hadn't done before; it was just a lot different from his cozy bed at the orphanage. He watched as Solo began loading the three guns they had stolen. The dark-haired boy was seated close to him.

Duo looked up at for several minutes before falling asleep.


	8. Chapter 8: Burgers and Bakas

Chapter Eight: Burgers and Bakas

"Duo… hurry, wake up."

The braided boy curled up into a tighter ball and buried his head under his arms. He was exhausted and a nagging ache was setting into his side from having slept on the cement.

"Duo!"

The braided youth came to a sit before frantically looking around. He was still in the long, massive cement cylinder. Light was seeping through the holes on either end indicating daytime. The loud roar of machines starting up was sobering. He became fully alert almost instantaneously.

Solo was crouched beside him with his bag flung over a shoulder. "We have to go." The shaggy-haired boy whispered. Duo nodded in agreement and rubbed his head vigorously as if to stimulate his brain to get into action.

They crept towards one opening of the cylinder and squinted out into the construction yard. A few men wearing yellow hardhats were standing beside a backhoe. One was drinking something from a thermos while the other was climbing up the side of the giant machine. Duo scanned the space before glancing over at Solo.

"What now?" Duo whispered to his companion. Solo's eyes were locked on the workers and his lips were pursed as if in deep thought. Then he turned to the braided boy and smirked.

"We just leave. There isn't much they can do to us if we get caught except send us home." The dark-haired boy reasoned. Duo nodded in agreement.

"On three?" Duo asked. Solo nodded.

"One. Two. Three!"

With a playful laugh Duo bolted out of the opening of the tube and began running as fast as he could across the churned, rocky dirt of the construction lot towards the fence.

"Hey, kid! What are you doing here?!" Yelled one of the men, but they did not try to pursue him. He came to a sliding stop beside the fence, peeled the chain-link back and ducked through it. Once a good distance on the opposite side he stopped and doubled over with hands on his knees, panting and laughing. After catching his breath he looked up to see Solo sauntering casually towards the fence with his bag over his shoulder. Then the shaggy-haired boy slid through the fence and approached him, unhurried.

Duo frowned and raised an eyebrow at his friend. Solo smirked and began to laugh at him. The braided boy scowled and playfully punched the other boy's shoulder.

"Hahaha! Very funny." Duo grumbled. He crossed his arms and began to pout. Then a loud, grumbling noise came from his stomach. He flinched and grabbed his tummy with both hands and moaned in anguish. "Oh man… I am starved." Solo's smile was quickly replaced by a look of concern. Then he reached into the pocket of his slacks and pulled forth a large wad of colony credits.

"Lets get something to eat." Solo stated softly as he held the handful of money up at Duo. The braided boy's eyes widened, astonished.

"Where did you get all that?" Duo interrogated. He grabbed the money from Solo's hand and began flipping through it. "Woah! This is almost 100 credits!"

Solo shrugged. "I found it under the Desert Eagle in an envelope."

The braided boy's eyes brightened. "Man. This is great! Come on!" And with that Duo grabbed his friend's hand and began dragging him down the street. They walked for twenty minutes before coming to a small building crowded with people. On top of the square building was a sign with a giant, curved golden "W" with "Wackdonald's" written underneath it. Pictures of food were plastered on every window. The braided boy hopped in delight as they approached.

"I haven't had Wackdonald's in forever!" Duo exclaimed happily as he dragged Solo along behind him. The dark-haired boy was staring up at the sign for a long moment before scanning the crowd nervously. Duo noted his anxiety and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, lots of kids come here. We will fit right in."

Solo didn't seem convinced. Duo managed to drag him inside and up to the long line where a large crowd of adults and children were waiting their turn to order.

"Do I want a Big Wack or a Chicken Sammich?" Duo was asking himself as he stared up at the large panorama of food items behind the counter. "What are you getting, Solo?"

The shaggy-haired boy shrugged and stared, confused, at the menu. "I don't know…"

Duo's eyebrow quirked and an amused smile crossed his features. "You've ever been to a Wackdonald's before?"

"No."

"WHAT! Who the heck has never had WACKDONALD'S? Sheesh, you really are weird. Well, look, you like burgers or chicken? Maybe you should try the nuggets; you look like a nugget kind of kid." Duo was ranting on as they neared the counter. Solo just stood mutely by, perplexed by the words Duo was spouting.

"May I take your order?" They had arrived at the register. A teenage boy was waiting for their answer impatiently.

Duo smiled widely and pointed at one of the pictures on the wall. "I want two Big Wacks and a large fry. And a large strawberry milkshake. And two apple pies." Then the braided boy glanced over his shoulder at Solo. "What do you want?"

Solo's cheeks were flush and he just stared dumbly at the boy behind the counter. Duo frowned and began rubbing the back of his head in thought.

"Um… he will have the Chicken Wack-Nuggets, and a fry, and a large vanilla shake. Make sure to give him some barbeque sauce!"

The boy at the register punched in the order and held out his hand for the credits. Solo handed them to Duo, who handed them over to the boy behind the counter. Duo retrieved they food from the opposite end of the counter and led Solo to a seat next to a window.

"This is yours… and this is yours… and this is yours. The rest is mine. Yum yum yum." Then Duo greedily began stuffing his mouth full of greasy french-fries. Solo looked down at his food with raised eyebrows and hesitantly opened the box Duo had slid in front of him. Eight odd-shaped brown things waited inside. He picked one up and sniffed it.

Duo paused in filling his face to gawk at him. "What are you doing? It is FOOD you EAT it." The braided boy said, annoyed. "Why are you acting so weird? Have you never been to a restaurant before?"

Solo's silence answered Duo's question. The braided boy put his food down and regarded his new friend with curiosity. "Well… now you have! This is called 'fast food'. That means they cook it fast. This…" He used both hands to hold up his massive burger. "-is called a Big Wack. It is a cheeseburger. Lettuce, tomato, beef, buns and pickles with the secret sauce." Then he set his burger aside and held up a french-fry. "A French-Fry. It is just deep friend potato sticks with salt on them. Really tasty." Then he reached across the table and grabbed a nugget from the box. "And this is a Chicken Wack-Nugget. It is just chicken covered in bread and fried. It is really good. You can dip it in that stuff." He gestured to the barbeque sauce with a smirk. "Don't worry. It isn't poison."

"How do you know? Did you see them make it?" Solo inquired. Duo's jaw dropped. He stared at him in wonderment for a long moment before bursting into laughter.

"So THAT is what you are worried about? Whether or not the food has poison in it?" The long-haired boy cackled wildly and nearly fell out of his seat. Solo's cheeks began to turn bright red and his dark blue eyes began to narrow.

"I didn't say that." Solo growled quietly, glaring at his friend. Duo gasped for breath between bouts of laughter. The sight of Solo glowering at him only made him laugh harder.

The spectacle of Duo falling over himself laughing made a corner of Solo's mouth perk into a smile. The color to his cheeks began to fade away and his harsh expression began to soften. Perhaps he was realizing how ridiculous he had sounded, or maybe it was Duo's addictive laughter that had gotten to him. He straightened in his seat and snatched a nugget from the box on the table and bravely took a bite. Then he waited.

Nothing happened.

He found the flavor to be very appealing. He popped the rest of the nugget into his mouth before experimenting with the French-fries. Duo had fallen beneath the table during his manic laughter and was now peeking over the edge of the table at him.

"See, no poison!" Duo chirped. Solo rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Baka."

Duo blinked. His eyebrows scrunched up in the middle of his forehead. "What did you say?"

Solo was chewing fiercely on a nugget. He chewed a few more times, swallowed, then stared across the table at his companion.

"I called you BAKA." Solo replied with a taunting smile. Duo frowned and pointed an accusing finger at the dark-haired boy.

"What is THAT supposed to mean?"

"It is my nickname for you." Solo explained before forcing a few fries into his mouth. Duo studied his companion's face for a few moments before narrowing his eyes.

"It better not mean anything bad…" Duo mumbled.

Solo took a tentative sip of his vanilla milkshake before smiling at his new friend. "Of course not, baka…"


	9. Chapter 9: Learning to Share

**Chapter Nine: Learning to Share  
**

"So when are we going to shoot stuff?" Duo asked Solo as they walked down the sidewalk. The shaggy-haired boy shrugged and let his eyes search the surrounding buildings suspiciously.

"Maybe tonight." Solo replied quietly so as not to let any bystanders hear him. Duo grinned triumphantly and rubbed his hands together wickedly.

"Heh heh. That is going to be awesome."

Solo rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath. Duo knew he was calling him a 'baka' again.

"So what does that mean anyway? Is that German or something?" Duo inquired as they wandered down the street. Solo shook his head.

"No. It is Japanese."

"Japanese?" Duo echoed, his eyebrows high on his forehead. "You are Japanese?" Solo nodded then smirked at his companion.

"Yes."

"So you must be from L1." Duo reasoned before smiling widely. "That is so cool! I heard L1 is the best!"

Solo shrugged and rubbed the back of his head absently. "I guess."

"So that must be why you never had Wackdonald's before! Because L1 is a Japanese colony. You eat that sushi stuff and rice." Duo said. Solo paused in mid-step and turned narrowed eyes on the braided boy.

"That isn't true." Solo replied coldly. "L1 is just like here. All of the colonies are the same. The only difference is that Japan made L1 and the United States made L2. That makes you American- but that doesn't mean you do nothing but American things."

Duo took a cautious step backwards before holding his hands up. "Ok ok! Sorry. I didn't know. I have never been to the other colonies before."

Solo regarded Duo for a long moment before crossing his arms over his chest. "Why not?"

The braided boy frowned and shook his head. "I don't have any money or anything." Then he began absently toying with the tip of his braid. "I think the colonies are so cool. One day I am gonna travel all over the world. I even want to go to Earth one day."

Solo quirked an eyebrow and a faint smile began to grace his little mouth. "Why Earth?" The question seemed accusing and almost bitter.

"Because everything is real there! I read books about Earth all the time. They have wild animals and real air. They have this stuff called wind! Nobody knows where it comes from! And there is the ocean which has these bumpy things in it called waves. I heard you can ride on those waves. I think that is so cool. Have you ever seen to Earth, Solo?" Duo inquired, his eyes shimmering with excitement. Solo shifted his weight from one foot to the other and stared down at his feet for a long moment before looking up at this friend.

"Once." Solo answered plainly. "It was okay."

"Okay!? You are soo lucky!" Duo hollered. "Man I would kill to go to Earth! What was it like? Is it true that you feel heavier on Earth than in space? Does the air smell like plants? What does wind feel like? Can you see the colonies from Earth?"

Solo's expression transformed into a sincere smile and his dark blue eyes flashed with a powerful inner thought. "Don't worry, Duo. One day you will get to Earth to see for yourself." And with that the dark-haired Japanese boy continued to walk down the sidewalk, leaving Duo staring after him with a slack-jawed stare.

"Huh? Hey! Wait up! What are you talking about?! Solo! Hey! WAIT!"

* * *

Duo's hands quivered as he held the handgun between his small, inexperienced hands. Solo stood beside him inspecting his grip on the gun.

"Good. Now… look between the sights." Solo murmured quietly. Duo began chewing the corner of his lower lip nervously. He then squinted his violet eyes for a moment before closing one to peer down the barrel of the gun and between the sights.

"No. Never close your eyes. You must keep them both open." Solo explained to his companion. The braided boy huffed in frustration.

"I can't see with both open!" He exclaimed, discouraged. The Japanese boy smiled and stepped closer to his companion before leaning in close to look over the braided boy's shoulder. His dark eyes looked down at the gun.

"You can't look at the end of the gun. You have to see past it, between the sights, towards the target." He placed a small hand on his friend's elbow and pushed Duo's arm up an inch or two. Duo's shoulders had begun to quiver. The gun was heavy and holding it perpendicular to his body for such a long time was taking a toll on his shoulder muscles. The back of his arms has also begun to sting. However, Solo's assistance had steadied the gun and had provided some relief for the braided boy's tired arms. "You have to let your eyes focus on the target. The sights will turn blurry. That is how it is done."

Duo frowned and tried harder to focus on the target, an empty soda can, which sat 50 yards away on top of a cinder block. After a few moments the sights flanking the image of the soda can began to blur and his vision began to sharpen on the target. A satisfied grin crossed his lips.

"Ok. I see it now." The American boy whispered. He could hear Solo make a sound of agreement from his right shoulder, and then felt the weight of the other boy resting his chin on his shoulder.

"Right. Steady…" Solo mumbled. He forced Duo's arm up a centimeter more to get better aim of the can. "Now slowly squeeze the trigger."

Duo's arm tightened as he began to squeeze on the trigger. He could feel Solo's grip hardening on his arm as he did so.

BANG!

The recoil traveled up Duo's thin arm and into his shoulder. He stumbled back but was steadied by Solo's body from behind. When struck the can popped into the air for a few seconds before landing on the ground behind the cinder block. A wisp of smoke rose from the tip of the gun. The braided boy's body began to quiver from the shock. Solo placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and squeezed.

"You okay?" He asked quietly. Duo was staring at the gun in his hands. Then he spun around to face the Japanese boy with an excited grin.

"THAT WAS GREAT!" Duo wailed as he bounced around cheerfully, wildly flailing his gun hand. Solo blinked and grabbed the barrel of the gun and pointed it towards the ground as the braided boy did his victory dance. "Can I do it again?" Duo begged his companion. Solo nodded with a pleased grin.

Duo unloaded the clip at a series of things scattered around the construction yard. After finishing the last of his ammo he and Solo retired to their hiding spot within the massive cement cylinder for the night. The braided boy had curled up in a small ball and was hugging his braid against himself, watching Solo clean the gun he had been shooting with a piece of cloth.

"Solo, can I ask you something?" Duo asked hesitantly, tightening his hug on his braid. The Japanese boy nodded but didn't look up from the task of cleaning the gun.

"What did you do to make the adults scared of you." It was a question that Duo had wanted to ask since first meeting the boy. They had spent the whole day together and now that the American boy didn't feel threatened by his new friend he felt more comfortable asking. Solo had stopped wiping the gun and was staring down at his unmoving hands.

"I … have done a lot of things." He finally answered. Duo noticed his face began to change. His jaw had tensed and his lips had pursed into a thin line. "I really don't want to talk about it."

Duo frowned and began regarding his companion with a compassionate gaze. "You sure? Father Maxwell said it is best to talk about your problems. That is how you get them fixed." This didn't seem to convince the Japanese boy. He scowled down at his hands before continuing to clean the gun, however this time he seemed much more focused on the task.

"You don't have to tell me everything, Solo. But I think if we are going to be best friends we should tell each other stuff, right? How about every day you tell me ONE thing about you and I will tell you one thing about me." The American boy suggested. Solo had finally looked up from his cleaning and was watching Duo with a look of consideration. A long moment of silence passed between them before he nodded.

"Okay. You first," Solo said softly. Duo pushed himself up to a sit and gave his friend a wide grin.

"Well, I was an orphan. I don't know my parents, and I was caught by the police and taken to the church. I used to steal a lot." Duo said plainly before looking expectantly over at Solo. The dark-haired boy had been listening intently but at the end of Duo's turn to share his eyes had turned dark and his expression was firm. He seemed to be searching his mind for something to share.

"I…don't know what to say." He finally replied, his cheeks rouging over slightly. Duo frowned and placed a finger on his chin in thought.

"Have you ever killed anyone?" The American boy asked. This made Solo's eyes widen. Then the shaggy-haired boy smiled.

"No."

"Have you ever SEEN anyone killed?" The young boy asked. Solo sighed and his smile faded.

"Yes."

Duo's eyes began to glimmer in delight. "Cool."

(( I tried to remember how it was the first time I ever shot a gun and went with that. I also have so many fun ideas for this fic. If I have another slow pocket at work today I will add another chapter by 5:00 p.m. June 23, 2008. Also, some drama is about to break loose! I can't wait to write it! Black-Haired Girl ))


	10. Chapter 10: Shopping with Duo

Chapter Ten: Shopping with Duo

Duo woke to a strange sound. He opened his eyes and stared straight ahead at the curving interior of the cement tube and listened intently for the sound again.

There it was.

It sounded like… a snore? He pushed himself up quickly and looked to his left. Solo was lying on his back with his arms and legs flung carelessly in every direction. He was holding the enormous Desert Eagle loosely in his right hand.

He snored again.

Duo lifted a hand to his mouth to stifle a laugh. The Japanese boy must have been exhausted. The braided boy couldn't recall seeing the other boy sleep before now. It occurred to him then that perhaps Solo hadn't slept in two days. Carefully he crawled closer to the other boy and peered down through his own messy bangs at him. Solo's face was slack and his mouth was cracked open slightly as he slept. His eyebrows, which usually were angled down in an intense expression, were high up on his forehead creating two long, gentle curves. Duo thought he looked very peaceful, well… except for the massive gun clutched in his hand.

As he was staring at his friend his stomach growled loudly.

_Food…_was the prevalent thought at the moment. He reached a hand down to touch the Japanese boy's shoulder to wake him. Then he paused and let his hand hover over him hesitantly. _Nah… he needs sleep. I can bring something back for him, _he decided. Quickly he surveyed his partner. Solo seemed to be sound asleep. Then the American boy spotted the corner of one a Colony Credit poking out of Solo's pocket. This made Duo grin. He hadn't picked a pocket in a long time but was confident that he could still pull it off. He slid his fingers steadily towards the credit and with a deft tug pulled it free. Solo's breathing changed. The braided boy froze in place with the credit in his hand. The Japanese boy shifted slightly against the hard cement before drifting back into a deep sleep-induced coma.

Duo grinned in satisfaction, pocketed the credit and then grabbed the gun Solo had stolen for him from the bag that lie nearby. He tested its weight in hand and then looked down at his clothes and began searching for a place to hide it. It was a large handgun and his clothes didn't have a place to stash such a formidable weapon. With a defeated sigh he placed the gun back in the bag and began hurriedly working his way out of the tube.

The colony's morning lights had just begun powering up as he slipped through the flap in the fence. He stopped on the opposite side of the fence to look back over the construction yard. There didn't seem to be any workers this morning. Then he remembered it was Saturday and that nobody would be coming in for work. He nodded to himself, satisfied that Solo would be safe to sleep there alone, then turned and scampered down the street.

He made his way quickly to the shopping district. Many of the stores were still closed. However, as he wandered through the lines of shops he spotted a sleepy-looking employee opening the doors to a sporting goods store. He approached the man with a friendly smile.

"Hey, you open?" Duo asked cheerfully. The older man turned to look at him, yawned loudly, and then nodded in response. That was all Duo needed. He pushed past the man and made his way into the small store. He began scanning the store intently for a few minutes before spotting what he was looking for.

A large, silver bicycle hung on the wall in front of him. The corner of his mouth perked. He spun on his heels and began looking for the shop keeper.

"Hey guy! I want this bike!" Duo yelled. The man appeared from behind a display of tennis balls and regarded the little boy with a curious expression.

"That is quite a bike, kid. You got money?"

Duo scowled before nodding vigorously. "Of course I have money! I would steal it, but it is too high for me to reach!" This made the man laugh. Little did he know the truth behind that statement. The man casually wandered up to the braided boy and looked up at the bike.

"That bike is 22 credits." The man said. He looked down at the little boy with a grin. "You got 22 creds?" Duo smirked and pulled forth the bill he had swiped from Solo earlier that morning and held it up at the man.

"Sure. I got 50 creds!" Duo stated. The man's eyes widened and he stared at the bill clutched tightly in the little boy's hand.

"How did you-"

"My dad is rich." Duo lied. He grimaced as he did. He hated to lie. "So get me that bike!" The man didn't need any more urging than that. He hefted the silver bike from the wall and set it in front of the young boy. Duo studied the bike closely before thrusting the credit into the man's hand.

"Anything else you need, kid? You might want a helmet and maybe some decorations for your wheels?" The man asked as he grabbed a helmet from a shelf to display to the braided boy. Duo shook his head and waved a hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Nah…" He crawled onto the bike and grasped the handlebars firmly. "Hey, do you have ammo?"

The man blinked. "What do you need that for?"

"My dad told me to pick some up for him." Duo explained while making a puckered expression. "So.. um… you have 9mm?" The man nodded. He was desperate to sell the boy anything, even ammo. He vanished behind the counter and retrieved a formidable box of the specified type of ammunition.

"That all?" The man asked while he began ringing up the purchases on the cash register. Duo stopped his inspection of the bike and began searching the shop with his eyes.

"You got any clothes?" The braided boy inquired. The man nodded and pointed to a rack of items nearby.

"All I have is athletic clothes. Over there." The man said. Duo popped the kickstand of the bike before climbing off. He then padded over to the rack and began pushing things around.

"This is all you got?" Duo asked. He picked up a pink and yellow jumpsuit and regarded it with distaste. The man nodded from his spot behind the counter. The braided boy sighed and searched for a minute or two within the rack before pulling forth two items.

"Okay. I will take these, too." He said as he approached the counter and handed the articles of clothing to the man. The clerk then rang up his purchases. Duo paid him then began wheeling out his new bike onto the sidewalk. The morning lights were almost at full illumination. He climbed up onto the bike and pushed off with a foot. He hadn't ridden a bike in some time and his trip had begun quite wobbly but four blocks later he was a natural. He darted through the growing crowd of people that littered the sidewalk. The growing population of pedestrians wandering the sidewalk began hindering his progress towards the Wackdonald's so he decided to take a shortcut. He cut to the right and pedaled swiftly into a back alley. The alleyways on L2 were much like a labyrinth and if you weren't familiar with the territory it was easy to get lost. However, Duo knew these paths very well and could navigate them with his eyes closed. He continued confidently through the maze and was just about to encounter the final pattern of twists and turns before someone jumped out from behind a dumpster, grabbed the handlebars of his bike and knocked him over.

The silver bike fell on its side with a loud crash and Duo hit the ground hard. His face had dragged against the cement and was now ragged and bleeding. The impact of his head to the ground had left him dazed so when a large figure approached him and grabbed him by the front of his shirt he did little to fight it.

"Well if it isn't the little asshole who swiped my stash." The hand on Duo's shirt tightened. The braided boy's vision returned to him and he looked up helplessly at the round, fat face of his attacker. He recognized him immediately. His name was Stent and he was the local thug. The last time Duo had seen the massive kid was when he had snatched the other kid's money.

"Hey…" Duo finally managed to reply. "I remember now… how have you been?" The braided boy forced his sore cheek to tighten so he could give the thug a taunting smile. Stent didn't find this amusing and with an angry hiss grabbed the boy with his second hand by the throat and began to squeeze.

"You little fuck! I should snap your neck!" Stent grumbled then gave Duo's neck a tighter squeeze for good measure. Duo gasped at the choke hold he had found himself in and began attempting to suck in air. Stent noticed the small boy's struggle and began grinning maliciously. "But this seems like good revenge! I will snap your neck, and take your bike!"

Duo began seeing spots. He was regretting not taking the gun. His eyes searched around frantically for anyone who could be watching but saw nothing. He began to dig his fingernails into the other boy's hands in a failed attempt to get the bully to release him.

The world around him began to grow smaller and the colony lights seemed to be dimming to black. He pounded anxiously at the larger boy's chest and kicked with all his might at his stomach but it didn't do any good. Just as his vision became nothing but a plane of faded black the hand released its grasp on his neck. Duo fell to the ground. His own hands lifted to rub at his sore neck as he gasped for air.

"Bad idea." He heard a familiar voice say. He looked up from his crouched spot on the ground to see Solo standing beside Stent with the massive, shining barrel of the Desert Eagle pressed against the bully's temple. Stent's face was pale and his eyes were wide. Duo never knew the other boy could experience fear until now. He pushed himself up to a wobbly stand and gathered up his bike and bag of goodies from the ground.

"Now… say you are sorry." Solo said in a cold, flat tone. Duo saw that the Japanese boy's eyes had hardened. They were just as harsh and intense as the first time he had ever seen them.

Stent's eyes glanced sideways at the smaller Japanese boy and scowled. "No. He stole my money! I was getting payback. He fucking deserved it!"

"Wrong." Then a loud, deafening bang resonated through the air. Duo jumped at the sound then stared in horror as Stent fell to the ground. Blood spattered everywhere and the bully was screaming in anguish. Solo had shot off his hand. The now liquefied remains of the massive boy's hand lie over the cement in beside of him. Solo stood calmly with the gun still pointing at Stent with an icy, unemotional stare. "Go."

The large boy was sobbing and screaming. He scrambled up from the ground and ran as fast as he could down the alley and before vanishing around a corner. The sound of his horrified wails faded away in the distance.

Duo stood unmoving with the bike's handlebars clutched tightly in his hands. Solo was staring down at the remains of Stent's hand with a blank expression on his face. Then the shaggy-haired boy's narrow eyes relaxed. One of his dark, angular eyebrows twitched. Then he turned to his friend and released a small sigh. "Are you all right?"

The American boy was speechless. He had seen many violent things on the streets but what Solo just did was ruthless. He was in shock. He wasn't quite sure if he really had seen Solo shoot the other boy. However, the proof was there. The blood was clearly spilled and a thick, dark trail of it was all that remained of the bully as he had run from the scene. Finally, after coming to from his shock, Duo spoke, "how did you find me…?"

Solo approached him slowly. His eyes were locked onto Duo's cheek in close inspection the gash left behind by the thug's encounter. "I followed you. I have been following you all morning." The Japanese boy explained. Duo stared blankly at his friend for a long time before bursting out into an amused laugh.

"That is creepy, Solo." The American boy exclaimed. He couldn't help but laugh. It started as a nervous laugh. Then the act alleviated all fears that Duo had been experiencing. His laughter transformed into a heartfelt, happy sound. Solo's somber expression brightened.

"I know. I wanted to know where you were going to spend my money." Solo replied with a smirk. Duo grinned and pointed down at the bike.

"I got us a ride!" The braided boy chirped. Solo nodded and looked the bike over with an appraising gaze.

"Nice." Then he pointed to the plastic bag clutched in Duo's hand. "What is in there?"

"Ammo. And some new clothes for you." Duo answered truthfully. The Japanese boy smiled and gently took the bag from his companion. He opened it and looked inside. Then he glanced up at Duo with a questioning look.

"Yeah-yeah. I know. It was all they had." The American boy explained. Solo shrugged and pulled forth the clothes from the bag. He held up the first, a dark green tank top, and inspected it curiously. Then he set it aside and pulled forth a pair of black spandex biking shorts. His dark blue eyes widened. Duo gave his companion a sheepish smile.

"I guess it will have to do." Solo said quietly while he stretched the black shorts between his hands. "Thanks, Duo."

The braided boy gave him an accomplished grin "Your welcome, buddy. Now let's eat! I am starving!"

"Ba-"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Baka…. just get on the bike! We don't have all day!"

((Ah ha! Got it done by 5:00 and for BlackRoseBunny-chan that is EST! Sorry for the confusion. I forgot that the internet is such a massive, magical place! Oh, and I want to shout out to snowdragonct who is quite possibly the best review writer I have ever had! Not to mention snowdragonct always manages to understand the very details I am going for. So if you are confused go read the reviews! Everything is mapped out right there!

More to come! Happy reading!))


	11. Chapter 11: Mysterious Encounter

Chapter Eleven: Mysterious Encounter

"Faster! Hurry! It closes in an hour!" Duo urged.

Solo grit his teeth and began stomping on the bike's pedals more forcefully. Duo noticed a thin line of sweat gathering on the back of the young Japanese boy's new green tank top as he worked diligently on propelling the bike up the sloping incline towards the observation station. Duo leaned forward and gripped Solo's shoulders tightly to steady himself as he stood perched high on the back of the bike.

"This would be easier if you weren't so heavy." Solo grumbled between exhausted pants. Duo laughed and playfully smacked the back of the other boy's disheveled head.

"Less talk, more work!" The American boy chirped happily as they approached their destination. They arrived at the observation station, a large platform-type building set against the side of a curving wall of the colony. The building was erected to allow the colonists to have a formidable place to view things on the outside such as satellites, the sun, moon and Earth.

"It doesn't look like it is open." Solo said as he pulled the bike to a stop a few feet away from the main entrance.

"Nah. It is always this empty." Duo explained. He leapt off of the back of the bike and began sauntering towards the entrance. Solo placed the bike in a bike rack, slung his bag over his shoulder and followed the American boy in.

The doors were unlocked despite the building's complete desertion and when they entered there wasn't a soul in sight. The boys shuffled side-by-side down a long, dimly lit hallway before it opened to a large, rectangular room. The wall to their left wasn't a wall at all, but a large, curving window that revealed the view of the outside world. A view of space. Duo immediately ran up to the window and placed his hands on the glassy surface.

"Woah. Check it out! Earth!" Duo exclaimed excitedly, his voice echoing through the empty room. Solo stepped up beside Duo and stared blankly out into the darkness of space. The Earth turned lazily below them, half-illuminated, its bright blue and green surface speckled with patches of swirling white and gray. "It is beautiful." The braided boy murmured as he stared through the glass at the glossy, spinning orb below. Then he glanced over at Solo and grinned happily. "Looks small from here, huh?"

Solo nodded. His dark eyes studied the planet before him with a focused, critical gaze. Duo shrugged at the other boy's response and turned back to the view beyond the window. "So, the dark half of the Earth is night time?" Duo inquired curiously as he studied the turning sphere with a delighted grin. The Japanese boy grunted a quiet "yes" before turning to walk away from the window and take a seat on a cushioned bench nearby. This caught the braided boy's attention. He peeled his eyes away from the view of space to look at Solo, who was seated on the bench staring out the window.

"You don't like Earth, do you?" Duo finally blurted. He saw the Japanese boy's eyebrow twitch.

"It is okay." Solo replied, plainly. This wasn't enough answer for the braided boy. He made his way briskly to the bench before slumping to a sit beside his friend.

"You ALWAYS say that. 'It was okay,' blah blah blah. What don't you like about it?" The American boy asked. His eyes began to drift away from the stoic Japanese boy to the awe-inspiring view beyond the window. Solo's arms rose to cross firmly across his chest.

"I like Earth enough." Solo answered calmly. "I just don't like the people there."

"What people?" Duo asked, knowing he was treading in dangerous waters by prying so much into Solo's business. He had come to realize in the short time he knew the other boy that asking too many questions about his past made the Japanese boy irritable, but Duo couldn't resist his insatiable curiosity.

Solo's posture straightened and his hands slowly began to squeeze into tight fists. "There are bad people everywhere, Duo… but bad people first came from Earth." He said softly, his eyes narrowing in anger. "They don't care about anyone but themselves. They destroy what they are lucky to have. They are never happy with what they've got. They want more and more, and now they want what little we have…" His eyes flashed with a surge of emotion. Duo slowly inched away from him on the bench. "Earth may be a fine place, but the people of Earth are bad."

The braided boy frowned at this and began absently worrying the corner of his lower lip with his teeth. They sat in silence as the colony spun on its axis. As it did the image of the bright blue Earth slid out of view and the gray, bland surface of the moon appeared. A stray communication satellite slid past as well. Behind the moon shone the faint outline of a cloudy nebulous.

The two young boys sat side-by-side in silence for the next forty minutes watching the universe pan across the giant window. Duo occasionally stole a sideways glance at his companion who just sat there looking straight ahead. He knew that Solo wasn't enjoying this as much as he was. He turned away to focus on canvas of winking stars that stretched across the window. Every now and again he would lift a hand to draw invisible lines between major stars to create his own constellation designs.

A security guard approached them to tell them the observation station was closing. As Duo got up to leave the Earth had crept back into the eye of the window. Solo had left quickly but the braided boy paused to look over his shoulder at the glowing aqua sphere.

_Some day I am going to go to Earth, _he decided to himself. The corner of his mouth lifted into a determined smirk. _And when I do, I am never gonna leave._

* * *

"Ugh. I need food. Now!"

"We could get food if you hadn't spent all the money." Solo grumbled quietly from behind the American boy. Duo leaned forward onto the handlebars and groaned in anguish.

"My tummy hurts soo bad." Then Duo suddenly brought the bike to a dead stop and in doing so almost threw Solo from the back of the bike. The abrupt braking caused the Japanese boy to lose his balance but only for a moment. He corrected himself then slid off of the back of the bike to stand beside the famished braided boy.

"Let's find some food, then." Solo stated slowly. His dark blue eyes began to search the surrounding area. They were in the heart of the downtown district and it being Saturday night, it was crowded with people. Teens were standing outside of youth clubs, women crept along the city streets looking to make a few credits, retired soldiers staggered in and out of various bars and hoodlums loitered around trash cans and street lights talking among themselves in loud, rambunctious voices.

Duo searched around as well before spotting his golden opportunity. He crawled off of the bike and handed the handlebars to Solo before walking quickly towards a throng of people.

"Wait! What are you doing?" Solo called after him in a hushed voice. Duo paused for a moment to look back at his companion with a mischievous smile.

"Don't worry. I got this." Then he turned and walked hastily towards a crowd of people that had gathered on the sidewalk. A man with a cart was performing magic tricks and illusions for the crowd. Duo knew that this was his chance to get some money. He flexed his little fingers, cracked his knuckles then slowed his step to casually mingle with the crowd. All were too preoccupied to notice him. His bright eyes scanned the pockets and garments that hung around him.

He saw a woman with a purse, but her clasp was too complicated to unhook without some time. He also spotted a young man with a bulging pocket, but his pants were very tight and Duo's fingers had grown larger since he had done this last. Perhaps he could find something easier. Ah, yes… he was glancing down at a loose off-white coat. A dark wallet sat nestled within the gaping outer pocket of the coat. He inched closer to his target pocket and pretended to be focused intently on the magician. Then he lifted his right hand and smoothly slid it into the white pocket without so much as brushing the fabric of the coat. His fingertips brushed against the worn leather of the wallet. He let his hand go a fraction of an inch deeper into the pocket so he could get a loose grip of it, and then slowly began to extract the wallet.

The coat shifted away from him as the person within the coat shifted his weight. Duo compensated for the man's movement by following it with his hand so that no pressure could be felt by his unsuspecting target. Once the man had found another comfortable position to settle in Duo continued pulling forth the thick wallet from the pocket.

Then something clenched around his wrist. He yelped in surprise and his fingers immediately released the wallet he had been retrieving. Frantically he tried to turn and run but something held him tightly. He looked down at his wrist to see a shining, three-pronged steel claw holding him in an unwavering grasp.

"So, trying to steal from me, are you? You're going to have to do better than that," said a strange voice. Duo looked up to see a peculiar and rather grotesque looking man staring back at him. Two large, reflective disks twisted in his head where his eyes should have been. Duo could see that beyond the translucent disks were gears like that of a watch.

"Let go of me!" Duo wailed. He began yanking on his arm, trying to free himself from the robotic man's grasp. The man began to laugh and twisted his arm with the robotic claw.

"Someone call the police! That kid was pick-pocketing," said a nearby woman. The crowd seemed to swell as more people joined it to see what he commotion was about. Duo continued to fight against the old man's super-human strength.

"Let him go." Duo immediately recognized the cold, stony voice of Solo speaking over his shoulder. He turned around to see the Japanese boy standing a foot behind him and was surprised to see that Solo wasn't brandishing a gun.

The robotic man's gear-like eyes lifted to regard Solo. Then the man's wrinkled face tightened and his mouth cracked into an amused smile. "Well, if it isn't Odin's boy!" The old man exclaimed. He seemed to have forgotten about Duo. The claw loosened on Duo's wrist just enough for the boy to wrench his hand free. He stumbled backwards away from the robot man and stood close behind Solo. The Japanese boy's eyes had narrowed into two dark, thin slits and his eyebrows were drawn up low on his forehead. He stood, unmoving, glaring icily at the robot man. "I have been looking everywhere for you…" said the creepy man.

At this Solo spun around, grabbed Duo's arm and ran as fast as he could to the bike, dragging the confused American boy behind him.

"W… what? You know that guy?" Duo stammered. Solo didn't respond. Once at the bike he released his grip on Duo and grabbed the handlebars and began pushing the bike in the opposite direction of the crowd.

"No. Come on… let's go." Solo finally answered once they were a half-block away. Then the Japanese boy climbed onto the bike and waited for Duo to take his place on the back. The American boy sighed and reluctantly climbed on. As Solo pedaled away he turned to look back at the now dwindling crowd. The robot man was watching them go. Duo could see a big smile on his face.

* * *

((Ugh. I hate Dr.J. So creepy.))


	12. Chapter 12: Saying Goodbye

**Chapter 12: Saying Goodbye**

Duo shuddered. His eyes popped open and he immediately began to peer around the dark, shadowy interior of the giant cement cylinder. It was silent. His body quivered again as the cold seeped into his skin and chilled his small body. Then something in a shadow beside him moved. He spun around and peered into the large black patch across from him.

"Solo?" The braided boy whispered his friend's name into the darkness.

"Yeah?"

Duo began to relax at the sound of the other boy's voice. He leaned in closer to the shadow. His eyes had adjusted and he could make out the dark outline of the other boy. He was sitting upright with something clutched in between his hands.

"You okay?" Duo asked. As he did his breath hung like a dim cloud in the frigid air. He shivered again and this time tried to remedy his chills by rubbing briskly at the tops of his arms with his cold, stiff hands.

"Yes." Solo replied quietly. A glimmer of silver flashed faintly in the darkness between the Japanese boy's hands. Duo immediately recognized it to be the Desert Eagle. It was hard not to notice the gun, it was huge. And in the hands of the other boy it looked even bigger. "Are you cold?"

Duo smirked and nodded as he worked at building some friction heat for his body. "Yeah. I guess the climate machines aren't working too well tonight." His nose was running. He paused in his desperate attempt to warm himself to wipe his nose on the back of a thin, black sleeve. Solo's eyes shifted in the shadows. As they did they caught the light, which made them glimmer and become bright despite the lack of light.

"Come here, then."

The braided boy looked down at the gun in his friend's hand and thought on this for the briefest of moments.

_Wonder if he will kill me._

It was a strange thought for a seven-year-old boy to have. Especially about his best friend, but he knew that Solo was different from anyone he had ever known. And it was only the instinct of self-preservation that had caused him to have that thought. It was out of his mind as soon as it came and without regarding the random reflection he crawled over to sit close beside his friend.

The Japanese boy had watched him approach and, as Duo had settled himself close beside him, he placed the Desert Eagle on the cement with the barrel pointed towards the farthest end of the cylinder.

"Aren't you tired?" Duo asked before breaking into a wide yawn. The Japanese boy frowned before staring into Duo's face.

"Yes. But I am worried."

Duo hadn't expected that as a response. He inched closer to Solo until he had managed to press his side against his friend's side. The Japanese boy was remarkably warm and Duo had plans to steal that warmth. As if understanding Duo's intention Solo leaned in closer to promote the building of their collective warmth.

"What are you worried about?" Duo inquired. His voice was slow and lethargic. Solo straightened his posture and his muscles became tense against Duo's side.

"That man… with the claw. I know him."

"You told me you didn't-"

"I do." Solo glared down at Duo, who had begun snuggling up as close as he could to the Japanese boy, unaware that he was being glared at.

"Yeah, so… who cares about him?" Duo mumbled, trying to fight off sleep. Solo turned away and stared straight ahead. His eyes began to transform and his former harsh, cold expression took over his face.

"He knew my father. A long time ago he asked me to do something for him." Duo could feel the other boy's arm begin to shake beneath his body. "But my father told me not to. He told the claw man "no". And… I…" Then Solo's arm began to tense and its quivering began to worsen. Duo frowned and sat up.

"Solo, what's wrong…?" He placed a hand against the other boy's arm and tried to hold it still. "Why are you shaking like that? Are you cold, too-"

"No." The Japanese boy blurted before ripping his arm out of Duo's grasp. "I don't… I just can't…" Then he tilted his head down and buried his face in his hands. His shoulders had begun to shake.

"Solo…?" Duo whispered nervously before leaning in closer to his friend. He lifted a hand and timidly placed it on the other boy's shaking shoulder. "Solo, please. Don't cry. Tell me what it is."

At that the Japanese boy sat up and dropped his hands from his face. Duo searched his face for tears and any sign of sadness but found none. Instead he saw a look of determination and pain. The other boy's eyes were dark and seemed to pulse an underlying energy.

"Duo. I gotta leave tomorrow." Solo said flatly. The American boy's jaw dropped and he stared mutely at Solo for a span of a full minute.

"But… but why?" The braided boy finally stuttered. Solo frowned and Duo thought he saw him flinch at the question.

"I just have to. That man… I was looking for him before I met you." Solo explained in a flat, unemotional tone. Duo felt a heavy weight begin to fill his chest. He took a deep breath to try and shake away the heavy feeling then began to chew on the corner of his lip in silence.

Solo sat in silence watching the other boy waiting for him to respond. When Duo had failed to say anything Solo's frown deepened then he hesitantly approached the braided boy before sliding his thin arms around Duo to hold him in a tight hug.

At first the act was very awkward. Duo had only been hugged a few times in his life, and all of those times were by Sister Helen. Solo was the last person Duo would have expected to do that. So when the Japanese boy hugged him he had froze in place and wasn't sure how to respond. Did he hug back? Did he shove the other boy away? Then Duo realized how nice it felt to be hugged by his best friend. He felt safe and the heavy feeling in his chest had begun to dissipate as the other boy tightened his hold on him.

So he hugged him back.

And it felt nice.

"That man looks dangerous, Solo." Duo finally muttered into the other boy's shoulder. This made the Japanese boy tighten his hold on his friend.

"I will be okay, Duo."

At those words Duo's eyes began to sting. He sucked in a frantic breath and held it. He didn't like to cry. He couldn't remember the last time he had, and he didn't want to cry in front of Solo. With a faint sniff he held back the impending flow of tears and managed to force out his next statement in choked, wavering words, "Don't die."

Solo's grip on him loosened and the other boy pulled away just enough to look down into the braided boy's face. Duo was staring up at him with an intensely worried expression. The Japanese boy's mouth curved into an amused smile.

"Well don't cry over me. I am not important." Solo replied, laughing lightly.

Duo's eyebrows rose. A sob vibrated from his throat. He became angry at himself to letting the sob escape as well as annoyed that his friend was smiling and laughing at such a serious time. "Shut up!" Duo hissed angrily, and then furiously shoved the other boy away from himself. Solo fell back to a sit on the cement and began to laugh louder. This made Duo bristle even more.

"I said be quiet! GOSH! Why are you laughing!? You are going to die, and you are going to leave me here allalone! Do you think this is funny?" The braided boy was furious. He began shaking his fist threateningly at the other boy. "Be quiet before I deck you!"

Solo's uncontrollable laughter had calmed to an amused chortle. "I'm sorry, Duo." Solo said quietly before finally regaining composure. "Why do you think I am going to die? And why does it matter if I do?"

Duo straightened in his spot and frowned. "Because you're the best friend I ever had. I don't want you to die." The young American explained. He began toying with the tip of his braid absently and tried his best to put the thoughts of Solo lying dead at the hands of the scary claw man out of his mind. He looked across the dark tube at Solo. The Japanese boy seemed suddenly peaceful and confident.

"Don't worry, Duo. I know if I die you will come find me. Even the Shinigami would be scared to face you…" Solo replied with an amused smile. Duo gave him a questioning look.

"Shini-gami…?" The braided boy tested the word with hesitation. "What is that?"

"A God of Death." Solo answered absently, giving his friend a small smile. "It is the Japanese word for God of Death."

"Hm… Shineegami. Shin… ni… gami." Duo repeated the word over and over again as if trying to memorize it. "Well I hope you never meet this Shinigami guy."

"I might. But I am better than any Shinigami." Solo said. He gave Duo a playful grin.

"No. You're just a 'normal kid'." Duo reminded him. Solo smiled brightly.

"Oh yeah. I forgot. I guess you're right, baka." The Japanese boy said. Duo finally smiled.

"I am always right."

Solo sighed. "Baka."

"Stop calling me that!"

Solo laughed.

* * *

The next morning when Duo woke Solo was gone.

He sat up and rubbed the back of his head slowly, letting his fingers tangle in his thick hair. As he began his morning ritual of yawning and stretching something caught his eye. A plastic bag sat nearby. He crawled over to it and pulled its white flaps open. Inside lie the Desert Eagle with a piece of paper underneath it. Gently he pulled the paper from beneath the gun and studied it.

It was a portion of blueprint for a building. Duo figured Solo must have found it lying somewhere in the construction area. He flipped the blueprint over. Long, angular letters had been scrawled across it.

"_I am Solo now, but when we meet again we will be a duo."_

The corner of Duo's mouth perked a little. He read the note over a few times before neatly folding it and sliding it into his pocket. Then he picked up the Desert Eagle and looked it over. He noticed some scratches on the barrel. He squinted and held the gun up to the light. Then he realized that they weren't scratches but words etched roughly into the metal. The words were sloppy and the first word he couldn't make out, but the last two were easily recognizable.

"TO EARTH"

His eyebrows scrunched together high on his forehead and he stared at the words for a moment.

"To Earth." Duo whispered quietly. He let a small finger trace the engraved words that had been scraped into the metal. Then his eyes widened. "He is going to EARTH without me? THAT JERK!" Then he leapt up and made his way out of the cylinder. He shoved the gun into the bag, blinked against the colony's morning lights, and then broke out into a run towards the fence. He darted through the opening and made his way down the street, clutching tightly at the large gun wrapped in plastic.

_Solo is going to Earth…_ he reflected to himself as he ran. _One day he is going to come back! That is what it means! He is going to come back and take me to Earth with him!_

He was practically skipping by the time he arrived at the Maxwell Church. He was laughing in delight when Sister Helen came out to scold him for being gone to long and he was ecstatic when Father Maxwell assigned him to bathroom duty indefinitely.

None of it mattered. He knew he was going to Earth one day and that his best friend would come back for him and these thoughts alone would keep him sufficiently elated for years to come.

* * *

_PART ONE – Little Shinigami and Solo: **COMPLETE**_

_To Be Continued in- "Meeting on the Planet", Coming Soon!_

(Like... very soon. :D Black-Haired Girl)


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